A British security guard at the British embassy in Berlin was caught by a sting operation after passing secret information to Russian authorities, the Old Bailey has heard. David Ballantyne Smith, 58, pleaded guilty to eight charges under the Official Secrets Act last year and has returned to court for legal arguments about his motivation.
The court heard how two fake Russian operatives working undercover helped lead to his arrest in August 2021. One operative posed as a 'walk-in' Russian informant called 'Dmitry' when he was escorted into the embassy by Smith on 5 August 2021. Afterwards, Smith was seen on CCTV recording the earlier footage of Dmitry.
Prosecutors claim Smith held strong anti-UK views and was paid for information, but he denies this, saying he was motivated by an employment grievance while suffering mental health issues. Alison Morgan KC told the court: 'The prosecution allege he knows the potential significance of the Dmitry incident because he has taken the recordings with a view to passing that material on.'
A second undercover operative met him in the street and claimed to be a Russian intelligence officer called 'Irina'. Smith was recorded covertly and appeared cautious, telling Irina he needed to speak to 'someone' first. The sting was prompted by a letter Smith sent in November 2020 to a military staff member at the Russian Embassy in Berlin.
Prosecutors say there were unaccounted-for funds, including 800 euros in cash found at his home in Potsdam. Items seized from his flat included travel documents, sheets of blank embassy headed paper, a Russian Federation flag, a Soviet military hat, a Communist toy Lada car, and a Russian cuddly toy Rottweiler dog wearing a military hat. A cartoon from his work locker showed Vladimir Putin holding the head of Angela Merkel.
Smith, originally from Scotland, was extradited on 6 April last year and then arrested at Heathrow. He pleaded guilty to eight charges under the Official Secrets Act last November.
