Ex-guard at UK's Berlin embassy admits spying for Russia

A former security guard at the British embassy in Berlin has admitted spying for Russia and faces up to 14 years in prison.

David Ballantyne Smith, 58, pleaded guilty to eight charges under the Official Secrets Act. Prosecutors say he gave Gen. Maj. Sergey Chukhurov, Russia's military attache in Berlin, information about the activities, identities, addresses and phone numbers of British civil servants.

Smith also collected intelligence, some of it classed secret, on the operation and layout of the embassy, which prosecutors said would be useful to “an enemy, namely the Russian state.”

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Prosecutors say Smith was motivated by a hatred of Britain and its embassy, where he had worked for eight years, and had expressed sympathy with Russian authorities. They claim he was angry that the embassy flew the rainbow flag in support of the LGBTQ+ community.

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