Watch as former British embassy guard David Smith is sentenced for spying

Watch as a former British embassy security guard is sentenced for spying.

David Smith, 58, has been convicted of spying for Russia after he pleaded guilty to eight offences under the Official Secrets Act.

He had worked at the British embassy in Berlin for eight years, before being exposed during a sting operation involving British and German security services in August 2021.

“David Smith abused his position in the British embassy in Berlin to covertly collect and pass sensitive information to the Russian state. These crimes were an attack on our country and could have threatened national security,” Nick Price, head of the CPS special crime and counter terrorism division, said.

“His actions were not just driven by money and greed. On multiple occasions, he expressed a strong dislike towards the UK and Germany and expressed sympathy with the Russian authorities.

“These beliefs may have caused further damage had Smith not been discovered and prosecuted.”

He was jailed for a total of 13 years and two months at the Old Bailey on Friday.