British guard turns Russian spy: David Smith sentenced to 13 years in prison for leaking data to Russia

David Smith, a British national, has been sentenced to 13 years in prison forbetraying his nation and colleagues by selling information to Russia while working as a security guard atthe Britishembassy in Berlin.Smith, allegedlystarted gathering confidential papers in 2018.In 2020, he wrote two letters to top Russian embassy employees, one of which included the name and contact information of a former diplomat called X who had served in Russia, said a reportin the Guardian.

Authorities opened an inquiry after identifying Smith as the writer of the second letter sent in November 2020 to a military envoy at the Russian embassy. Two players were used as a fictitious Russian defector and intelligence officer in an undercover sting operation in August 2021.

Police discovered Smith's cache of critical and confidential documents after his arrest, including letters from ministers to the previous prime ministerBoris Johnson.

By acting in a way that endangered state security or other interests, Smith, 58, admitted guilt to eight offences brought under the Official Secrets Act.

In a televised sentencing at the Old Bailey on Friday, the judge sentenced Smithto 13 years and two months.

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The senior judge said that during Smith’s “subversive activities”, dating back to 2018, he had duplicated a “significant amount of material”.

“You were fully aware that you should not have copied any of these documents and equally aware that were these documents to get into the wrong hands, they might harm British interests or pose a threat to those working at the British embassy," the judge said.

Smith said that he was a proud Scot and that he was now "ashamed" of his actions. He said that once his Ukrainian wife of 20 years left for her native country, he became enraged at his employer, sad, and was drinking seven pints every day, reported Guardian.

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