A former MI5 employee has been detained under the Mental Health Act after being found not guilty by reason of insanity for repeatedly leaking sensitive information to a foreign power. Juan Joseph, 43, a former government IT contractor, was accused of emailing classified material and travelling overseas to seek a meeting at an embassy.
At a hearing at the Old Bailey, Mr Justice Hilliard imposed an indefinite hospital order under sections 37 and 41 of the Mental Health Act. The judge stated that Joseph had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and did not have a guilty mind, but warned that if his condition deteriorated, similar conduct could be repeated with serious consequences for national security.
Joseph worked for MI5 for 11 years as a systems engineer and held the highest level of security clearance. His contract was terminated in October 2020 after he displayed signs of mental fragility and paranoia. He later made unfounded complaints against MI5, alleging racist treatment and other serious misconduct.
In December 2024, Joseph travelled to Riga, Latvia, and sent emails requesting a meeting at a foreign embassy. He was arrested at Gatwick Airport upon his return and later found with a lock knife and a fake MI5 identification card. During police interviews, he claimed to be a whistleblower and insisted he had done nothing wrong.
Four psychiatrists agreed that Joseph should be subject to a restricted hospital order. The court heard that he was in the early stages of treatment and did not fully understand the seriousness of his actions. The prosecution noted a high risk of reoffending if he became unwell again.
