MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th February, 2023) A former security guard who worked at the UK Embassy in Germany, David Ballantyne Smith, has been sentenced for 13 years and two months in prison for spying for Russia and leaking secret information to Russian officials, media reported on Friday.
The judge said that Smith was "paid by Russia for (his) treachery" but there has been no evidence found that the reward amounted to "life-changing sums of money," the Sky news broadcaster reported.
The report said that Smith handed over Names, photos, personal details of the embassy's staff and secret documents to Russian officials, and also filmed his walk around the building to capture its layout and offices.
He was arrested after a UK agent pretended he was a Russian official and offered to provide "sensitive information" to the UK government knowing that Smith would overhear, the report also said. Smith was instructed to create copies of what he was led to believe were classified Russian documents and dispose of packaging from a SIM card, but he kept a document copy and the packaging, according to the report.
Smith himself pleaded guilty to eight charges under the Official Secrets Act 1911 and 1920 but said he had no intention to cause harm, the broadcaster reported.
The judge also said that the former security guard started collecting secret information in 2018, the report added.
