Chess master who put God above state was rejected as spy

A CHESS grand master was turned down for a job at GCHQ after he told interviewers his devotion to God outweighed his loyalty to the state.

Charles Storey, 44, went through a gruelling screening process at the spy communications base in Cheltenham before he was turned down for national security reasons.

It was remarked that Mr Storey, 44, a devout Christian, “without doubt, if required to choose between his loyalty to his country and his loyalty to God, [would] choose his loyalty to God whatever the outcome”.

GCHQ also learned from Mr Storey’s medical records that he had suffered a “drug induced psychosis” in 1991, when he was 20. He admitted to taking recreational drugs when young, but said he was now psychologically fit.

However, after passing a number of vetting interviews, Mr Storey was told in 2009 that he was “not a suitable candidate” and refused security clearance.

The world chess federation grand master, who works as an IT security consultant, claimed he was a victim of religious and disability discrimination.

An employment tribunal in 2013 backed GCHQ stating the security concerns about Mr Storey were only partly related to his religious beliefs and his past psychotic episode.

That decision has now been confirmed at the High Court by Mrs Justice Simler who said GCHQ’s security concerns were “separate and distinct” from Mr Storey’s past drug episode. She said his religious beliefs were of “no concern” in themselves, but GCHQ was entitled to conclude that “the effect those beliefs might have on his behaviour and judgment in the workplace” did raise national security issues.

Mr Storey has vowed to take his case to the European Court of Human Rights. He said: “The whole process has been ridiculous.”