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Two Men Charged with Spying for China in the UK

Published: 22 April 2024 at 12:14

Politics

Christopher Berry, 32, and Christopher Cash, 29, have been charged under the Official Secrets Act for allegedly providing information "useful to an enemy." The men will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court. Berry, from Witney, Oxfordshire, and Cash, from Whitechapel, London, are accused of giving information to China between December 2021 and February 2023. The Metropolitan Police described it as an "extremely complex investigation."

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Official Secrets Act 1911 (Wikipedia)


The Official Secrets Act 1911 (1 & 2 Geo. 5. c. 28) was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It replaced the Official Secrets Act 1889.The Act was introduced in response to public alarm at reports of wide-scale espionage, some of them fomented by popular novels and plays that dramatized the threat, supposedly from Germany, at a time of a rapid naval expansion. Its provisions were extensive, with heavy penalties for any reporting or sketching of military, naval or air defence installations, or the harbouring of people suspected of gathering such intelligence.It was amended several times; most importantly the "catch-all" provisions contained in section 2 of the Act were repealed and replaced by the Official Secrets Act 1989. The Act applied in the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands, and in overseas crown territories and colonies. It also applied to British subjects anywhere else in the world.The Act was repealed and replaced in 2023 by the National Security Act 2023.In the Republic of Ireland, the Act was repealed by section 3 of the Official Secrets Act 1963.

Official Secrets Act (India) (Wikipedia)


The Official Secrets Act of 1923 is India's anti-espionage act held over from the British colonial period. It states clearly that actions which involve helping an enemy state against India are strongly condemned. It also states that one cannot approach, inspect, or even pass over a prohibited government site or area like an electrical substation. According to this Act, helping the enemy state can be in the form of communicating a sketch, plan, model of an official secret, or of official codes or passwords, to the enemy.

Official Secrets Act (Pakistan) (Wikipedia)


The Official Secrets Act, of 1923 is a law in Pakistan that traces its origins back to the British colonial era in India. Enacted during that time to protect state secrets and maintain the security of the British Empire, the Act continues to be in force in present-day Pakistan.

Official Secrets Act 1939 (Wikipedia)


The Official Secrets Act 1939 (2 & 3 Geo. 6. c. 121) was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It substituted a new section 6 into the Official Secrets Act 1920, which limited the scope of that offence to offences under section 1 of the Official Secrets Act 1911 (it had formerly applied to all offences under the Official Secrets Act 1911 and to all offences under that Act).It was enacted in reaction to the "Sandys affair" in 1938, when Duncan Sandys MP was threatened with prosecution under section 6 in an attempt to get him to disclose who had given him information about the inadequate state of the air defences around London.The Act was repealed by and replaced with the National Security Act 2023.

Met Police failed to warn MPs over unsolicited messages, investigating honeytrap scandal


The Metropolitan Police failed to warn politicians about unsolicited messages targeting MPs, staff, and journalists in Westminster last year. The force is now investigating a honeytrap scandal where more than 12 people, including MPs, received flirtatious messages from unknown senders identifying as "Abi" or "Charlie." Concerns have been raised about possible state involvement in compromising or blackmailing politicians. Former Conservative MP William Wragg resigned after admitting to giving colleagues' phone numbers to a man he met on a dating app. The police investigation is ongoing as more victims come forward.

Official Secrets Act 1972 (Wikipedia)


The Official Secrets Act 1972 (Malay: Akta Rahsia Rasmi 1972, abbreviated OSA), is a statute in Malaysia prohibiting the dissemination of information classified as an official secret. The legislation is based on the Official Secrets Act of the United Kingdom. After criticism of the act for lacking clarity, it was amended in 1986.

Conservative MP Targeted in Parliamentary Honeytrap Sexting Scam


Conservative MP Dr Luke Evans from Bosworth, Leicestershire, reported being targeted in a honeytrap sexting scam involving malicious communications and cyber flashing. He alerted police and parliamentary authorities after receiving explicit messages on WhatsApp. The Metropolitan Police and Leicestershire Police are investigating the incidents. Michael Gove confessed to 'moral cowardice' during the Brexit campaign, and online security advice has been provided to MPs in light of these events.

Three men suspected of 'extreme right-wing activity' charged with preparing terror act


Three men have been charged with preparing an act of terrorism after an investigation into suspected "extreme right-wing activity", police have said. Brogan Stewart and Marco Pitzettu, both 24, and Christopher Ringrose, 33, are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Tuesday. Counter Terrorism Policing North East said the three men were arrested at their homes last Tuesday following its investigation into suspected extreme right-wing activity. A 46-year-old man from Leicester was also arrested as part of the probe and later released without charge. The trio's homes were searched during the "pre-planned, intelligence-led" operation and on Wednesday warrants were granted to extend their detention, police added.

Official Secrets Act 1989 (Wikipedia)


The Official Secrets Act 1989 (c. 6) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that repeals and replaces section 2 of the Official Secrets Act 1911, thereby removing the public interest defence created by that section.Lord Bingham said that the white paper "Reform of Section 2 of the Official Secrets Act 1911" (Cm. 408) (June 1988) was the immediate precursor of this Act and that its recommendations bear directly on the interpretation of this Act.

Metropolitan Police Apologises for Delay in Providing Information on Stephen Lawrence Murder Suspect


The Metropolitan Police apologised to Baroness Doreen Lawrence for failing to provide information on a sixth suspect in her son, Stephen Lawrence's murder 31 years ago. Only two of the five or six attackers were convicted, with charges against the other suspects dropped over lack of evidence. The sixth suspect, Matthew White, died in 2021, and despite being arrested twice, no prosecution occurred. The delay in responding to questions about White's involvement was acknowledged by the Met Police commissioner amidst calls for his resignation over an antisemitism row.

Official Secrets Act (Wikipedia)


An Official Secrets Act (OSA) is legislation that provides for the protection of state secrets and official information, mainly related to national security but in unrevised form (based on the UK Official Secrets Act 1911) can include all information held by government bodies.OSAs are currently in-force in over 40 countries (mostly former British colonies) including Bangladesh, Kenya, Pakistan, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Myanmar, Uganda, Malaysia, Singapore and the United Kingdom, and have previously existed in Canada and New Zealand.There were earlier English and British precedents, long before the acts enumerated here. As early as the 16th Century, following Francis Drake's circumnavigation, Queen Elizabeth I declared that all written accounts of Drake's voyages were to become the "Queen's secrets of the Realm". In addition, Drake and the other participants of his voyages were sworn to their secrecy on the pain of death; the Queen intended to keep Drake's activities away from the eyes of rival Spain.

Two Charged with Murder After Human Remains Found in Croydon Park


A man and a woman, identified as Gemma Saundercock and Steve Samson, have been charged with the murder and unlawful burial of 38-year-old Sarah Mayhew after her remains were discovered in Rowdown Fields, Croydon. Samson also faces additional charges of making indecent images of a child, unrelated to the murder case. The Metropolitan Police confirmed that the arrested individuals were known to the victim, and Sarah's family has been informed and supported throughout the investigation.

Two Men Charged with Spying for China in the UK Two Men Charged with Spying for China in the UK Two Men Charged with Spying for China in the UK Two Men Charged with Spying for China in the UK

SOURCES

The Sun

Parliamentary researcher charged with spying for China alongside another man

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The Guardian

Two men in UK charged with spying for China

PA Media

BBC News

Two men charged with spying for China under Official Secrets Act

https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews

Sky News

Two men charged with spying for China after 'supplying information useful to enemy'

Sky News

ABC News

UK prosecutors charge 2 men with spying for China, including a parliamentary researcher

ABC News

AP News

UK prosecutors charge 2 men with spying for China, including a parliamentary researcher

https://apnews.com/author/sylvia-hui

Fox News

UK prosecutors charge 2 men, including parliamentary researcher, with spying for China

Fox News

Wikipedia

Official Secrets Act 1911

Wikipedia

Wikipedia

Official Secrets Act (India)

Wikipedia

Wikipedia

Official Secrets Act (Pakistan)

Wikipedia

Wikipedia

Official Secrets Act 1939

Wikipedia

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Met Police failed to warn MPs over unsolicited messages, investigating honeytrap scandal

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Official Secrets Act 1972

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Three men suspected of 'extreme right-wing activity' charged with preparing terror act

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Official Secrets Act 1989

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Official Secrets Act

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