"Additional Information Provided" British Embassy Security Guard, Turns Out to Be a Spy

Embassy Internal Information Passed to Russia
Arrested by Authorities Posing as Russian Spy

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seung-woo] A security guard working at the British Embassy in Germany has been sentenced to a heavy prison term on charges of espionage. He is accused of passing a large amount of internal confidential information to Russia.

According to AP and AFP news agencies, on the 17th (local time), a British court sentenced David Valentine Smith (58) to 13 years and 2 months in prison for leaking 8 cases of official secrets.

Smith, born in Scotland, served in the British Air Force and worked as a security guard at the British Embassy in Berlin, Germany for four years.

In 2020, he collected internal deployment and activities of the British Embassy, names, addresses, photos, and phone numbers of staff, and passed them to the Russian Embassy in Berlin. Smith then sent a letter to the Russian Embassy attempting to make contact, saying, "I will provide additional information." However, the investigation authorities caught on to this and arrested him near his home in Berlin in August last year.

At that time, British and German government authorities approached Smith pretending to be a Russian spy named Dmitri to arrest him, requesting, "Please let me enter the British Embassy." Deceived by Dmitri, Smith cooperated by copying and handing over internal documents, and even said to him, "I do not trust those who hired me."

The British Embassy in Berlin. [Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Smith, who was arrested and extradited to the UK, claimed at trial, "I only passed information to the Russian side twice, and I just wanted to teach a lesson about the unfair treatment I received at the embassy," but this was not accepted.

The prosecution found 800 euros (about 1.1 million won) in cash from Russia at his home and submitted evidence that he engaged in pro-Russian activities online, such as hating the UK and supporting Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Judge Mark Wall stated, "Smith received money from Russia as payment for his betrayal and passed a significant amount of material over several years. His crimes damaged the national interests of the UK and had the potential to cause disastrous consequences for others," adding, "There is no sign of remorse."