Parliament's security committee has criticised prosecutors for dropping charges against two men accused of spying for China, calling the handling of the case 'shambolic'. The report by the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy (JCNSS) found 'systemic failures' led to the collapse of the trial, but no evidence of 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 charges were brought under the 1911 Official Secrets Act.
The JCNSS said the process was 'beset by confusion and misaligned expectations' and that 'several opportunities to correct course were missed'. It criticised the CPS for not raising concerns earlier and questioned why a July 2024 ruling on a Bulgarian spy ring was deemed to alter the legal landscape significantly.
The committee found no evidence of 'improper influence or deliberate efforts to obstruct the prosecution', dismissing claims by senior Conservatives of political interference. It said the government lacked clear processes for escalating issues and that senior oversight was insufficiently robust.
The CPS has maintained it did not have the evidence needed to proceed, a claim challenged by senior lawyers including former director of public prosecutions Ken McDonald. The committee expressed regret that 'commonsense interpretations' of witness statements were not deemed sufficient for the evidential requirements.
A government source said the Tories' accusations had been proven untrue, blaming their 'negligence of national security' for leaving gaps in the law. The committee warned that the episode had created a 'crisis of public confidence' and fuelled conspiracy allegations.
