Parliament's security committee has criticised prosecutors for dropping charges against two men accused of spying for China, describing the handling of the case as 'shambolic'. The report, published on Tuesday night by the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy (JCNSS), concluded that 'systemic failures' led to the collapse of the trial, but found no evidence of UK government interference.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) unexpectedly dropped charges against Christopher Cash, a former parliamentary researcher, and Christopher Berry, a teacher, on 15 September, citing insufficient evidence that China posed a threat to UK national security. The committee said the process was 'beset by confusion and misaligned expectations', with inadequate communication between the government and the CPS.
The JCNSS questioned the CPS's judgment, noting it was 'unclear' why a July 2024 ruling on a Bulgarian spy ring had altered the legal landscape so significantly. It also expressed surprise that the CPS deemed government evidence insufficient, given that it had outlined a range of threats from China. The committee found no evidence of 'improper influence or deliberate efforts to obstruct the prosecution', dismissing claims of political interference by senior Conservatives.
The report piles pressure on the CPS, which maintains it lacked the evidence to proceed. Senior lawyers, including former director of public prosecutions Ken McDonald and former Supreme Court judge Jonathan Sumption, have challenged this. The committee warned that the episode had created a 'crisis of public confidence' and fuelled conspiracy allegations.
