London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Aug 30, 2025

British embassy spy driven by hatred of UK, court hears

British embassy spy driven by hatred of UK, court hears

A security guard spying for Russia at the British embassy in Berlin was driven by an intense hatred for his country, a court has heard.
Briton David Ballantyne Smith, 58, pleaded guilty to eight charges last year but returned to court for legal argument about his motivation.

Smith is alleged to have received money in exchange for information.

He claims he was not paid and was motivated by an employment grievance while suffering mental health issues.

Smith began working at the embassy in 2016. His behaviour changed after his wife moved back to her home country, Ukraine, in late 2018, the court heard.

Prosecutor Alison Morgan KC said Smith went from being "keen and polite" to expressing anti-UK and anti-German views.

Morgan also told the court Smith expressed views about the war in Ukraine, supported Russia and collected German uniforms from World War Two.

Smith began collecting secret information from the embassy, which he stored on a USB stick, from around 2018, the court heard.

Footage from the embassy and a draft letter to a Russian military attache, dated 14 May 2020, were found after an examination of his devices.

In the letter, he confirmed he worked at the embassy and wanted anonymity as he offered a book classified as "official sensitive".

There were also "secret" classified emails and documents, pictures of staff security passes and personal information, as well as posters and whiteboards in the embassy.

An undercover operation was prompted by a letter Smith sent in November 2020 to a member of military staff at the Russian Embassy in Berlin, which suggested ongoing contact.

During the undercover operation, Smith was offered the chance to obtain "highly sensitive information" about someone called "Dmitry". Smith was led to believe "Dmitry" was a Russian national helping the UK.

Smith was then approached by "Irina", an undercover operative who posed as an agent of the Russian intelligence service.

The extent of his activities, spanning four years, was uncovered in August 2021 following his interaction with "Irina". Some 800 euro (£700) of cash was found in his home in Potsdam, Germany.

On the day of his arrest, Smith had left work early complaining he was feeling ill and was met by German police at his home.

A request was made for his extradition to the UK in November 2021, following a probe by British counter-terrorism police. Smith arrived back to the UK in April 2022.

Smith faces a maximum of 14 years in prison. He will be sentenced on Friday.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Corporate America Cuts Middle Management as Bosses Take On Triple the Workload
Parents Sue OpenAI After Teen’s Death, Alleging ChatGPT Encouraged Suicide
Amazon Faces Lawsuit Over 'Buy' Label on Digital Streaming Content
Federal Reserve Independence Questioned Amid Trump’s Push to Reshape Central Bank
British Politics Faces Tumultuous Autumn After Summer of Rebellions and Rising Farage Momentum
US Appeals Court Rules Against Most Trump-Era Tariffs
UK Sought Broad Access to Apple Users’ Data, Court Filing Reveals
UK Bank Shares Dive Over Potential Tax on Sector
Germany’s Auto Industry Sheds 51,500 Jobs in First Half of 2025 Amid Deepening Crisis
Bruce Willis Relocated Due to Advanced Dementia
French and Korean Nuclear Majors Clash As EU Launches Foreign Subsidy Probe
EU Stands Firm on Digital Rules as Trump Warns of Retaliation
Getting Ready for the 3rd Time in Its History, Germany Approves Voluntary Military Service for Teenagers
Argentine President Javier Milei Evacuated After Stones Thrown During Campaign Event
Denmark Confronts U.S. Diplomat Over Covert Trump-Linked Influence in Greenland
Starmer Should Back Away from ECHR, Says Jack Straw
Trump Demands RICO Charges Against George Soros and Son for Funding Violent Protests
Taylor Swift Announces Engagement to NFL Star Travis Kelce
France May Need IMF Bailout, Warns Finance Minister
Chinese AI Chipmaker Cambricon Posts Record Profit as Beijing Pushes Pivot from Nvidia
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
Ukraine Finally Allows Young Men Aged Eighteen to Twenty-Two to Leave the Country
The Porn Remains, Privacy Disappears: How Britain Broke the Internet in Ten Days
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Welcome to The Definition of Insanity: Germany Edition
Just a reminder, this is Michael Jackson's daughter, Paris.
Spotify’s Strange Move: The Feature Nobody Asked For – Returns
Manhunt in Australia: Armed Anti-Government Suspect Kills Police Officers Sent to Arrest Him
China Launches World’s Most Powerful Neutrino Detector
How Beijing-Linked Networks Shape Elections in New York City
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
2 Australian Police Shot Dead In Encounter In Rural Victoria State
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
A new faith called Robotheism claims artificial intelligence isn’t just smart but actually God itself
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
×