Russian spy ‘angered by British LGBT flag’
Scottish security guard in Berlin handed secret embassy information to Kremlin military official
‘Material he leaked contained details about the activities, identities, addresses and numbers of various members of the Civil Service’
A SECURITY GUARD with a “hatred of the UK” who admitted spying for the Russians grew enraged at the flying of the rainbow flag at the British embassy in Berlin in support of LGBT rights.
David Ballantyne Smith, 58, pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey to eight charges of having “leaked details about the identities and activities of UK agents” to a Russian general.
He pleaded not guilty to a charge of providing information about building repairs being carried out at the embassy.
Prosecutors alleged the disgruntled security guard had wanted to hurt the UK and the British embassy, where he had worked for eight years. He was also said to have been angered at the flying of the rainbow flag in support of the LGBT community.
The Scot was arrested in August 2021 after allegedly offering information to Russian spies.
It is understood that Mr Smith was unmasked in a joint investigation by German police and the British security services. The court heard that he made secret video footage of CCTV recordings, leaked a dossier with details of British agents and gathered “secret” documents.
Mr Smith, from Paisley, Renfrewshire, appeared in the dock at a plea hearing at the Old Bailey last Friday.
He denied acting out of a “hatred of Britain” and maintained that he wished no harm to his country.
The former security guard was charged under the Official Secrets Act 1911 and the Official Secrets Act 1920, relating “to the collection and communication of information useful to the Russian state” between October 2020 and August 2021.
One of the charges he admitted included the allegation that “for a purpose prejudicial to the state” he tried to contact Gen Maj Sergey Chukhurov, the Russian military attaché based at the Russian Embassy in Berlin.
The material sent to Gen Chukhurov “contained details about the activities, identities, addresses and telephone numbers of various members of His Majesty’s Civil Service”.
In an earlier hearing, Mr Smith had been described as having an “intense hatred of the British embassy in Berlin” and the “UK generally”, which he disputes.
He is also alleged to have collected material relating to the operation and layout of the British embassy in Berlin.
Other charges relating to events on Aug 5 last year alleged that Smith “made unauthorised copies” of documents, kept SIM card packaging “he was meant to dispose of ” and made video recordings of CCTV footage from the embassy.
He also admitted that he amassed material classified as “secret” relating to the activities of the Government in Berlin.
Mr Smith was captured on covert cameras at the embassy filming images from the building’s CCTV security system on Aug 5 last year.
He was arrested by German police five days later at his home in Potsdam, 21 miles west of Berlin, after he had left work early complaining of feeling unwell.
Several media devices were found at his home and seized. The prosecution states that these contained the CCTV footage he had filmed, personal information about embassy staff and emails and documentation marked “secret”.
Matthew Ryder KC, defending, told the plea hearing that Mr Smith was not acting out of a desire to damage the UK.
He said: “There is a very large difference between the Crown and Mr Smith about his motivation... there is significant difference as to the basis Mr Smith has pleaded guilty including him not having a negative intention towards the UK that the prosecution have alleged against him.”
Reporting restrictions in the case were lifted by Mr Justice Wall yesterday, after the prosecution indicated it would not seek a trial over the one charge to which he pleaded not guilty.
Mr Smith, who faces a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison for spying, will be sentenced at a later date.
The prosecution stated that suspicions over his behaviour grew after he was found to be “living beyond his means and regularly overdrawn”.
During a search of his apartment, eight €100 notes were found, which prosecutors say could not be accounted for and that “it can be inferred that the money came from another source”.
He was extradited to the UK in April after losing a battle to stay in Germany, where he is believed to have lived for the past 16 years.