British embassy spy David Smith jailed for 13 years

The judge ruled that the evidence showed Smith was taking money from Russia as part of an “ongoing” relationship.

He had collected material since 2018 with a view to handing it over “at some stage”, the judge found.

Smith may even have been directed by his handler when he filmed private offices, including photographs of colleagues’ family and friends on their desks.

In a televised sentencing at the Old Bailey on Friday, Mr Justice Wall jailed ex-RAF serviceman Smith to 13 years and two months.

Previously, the court heard of the meticulous joint operation between British and German police and MI5 that led to Smith’s arrest.

On August 5 2021, Smith was asked by an embassy staff member to escort an undercover operative posing as Russian defector “Dmitry” into the building.

Smith made a copy of a document Dmitry had brought and kept Sim card packaging with the defector’s phone number on it rather than destroying it as he had been instructed.

Later in his security kiosk, Smith was shown on covert film using a small camera to record about 45 seconds of CCTV capturing Dmitry’s visit saying: “If he works at the embassy they will know him.”

A few days later, Smith was accosted at a tram stop by fake Russian spy Irina who said somebody was passing on information that was “damaging to Russia”.

He appeared sceptical, saying it had been “sprung on me” and he needed to speak to “someone”, in an apparent reference to his handler.

In his evidence, Smith said he was now “ashamed” at his behaviour and counted himself as a proud Scot.

He claimed he was angry at his employer, depressed and was drinking seven pints a day after his Ukrainian wife of 20 years returned to her home country.

He admitted being interested in conspiracy theories espoused by Alex Jones’ InfoWars and David Icke but denied being pro-Russian or having far-right sympathies