Navy sailor accused of passing secrets to Russia

Teddy Young, 24, a junior Royal Navy intelligence specialist from Bedfordshire, appeared at Westminster magistrates court on Thursday charged with trying to pass military secrets to Russia.

Young drafted classified message in Russian

Young is accused of abusing his high-level security clearance to access secret defence and intelligence data while deployed on a warship, and of drafting a message in Russian containing classified information.

First armed forces member charged under 2023 Act

Young is the first member of the British armed forces to be charged under the National Security Act 2023. He was arrested at his home in Bedfordshire on Tuesday after an investigation by Counter Terrorism Policing London.

Judge denies bail, cites flight risk

District judge Annabel Pilling told Young there were substantial grounds to believe he would not return to court and would commit further offences. Young was remanded in custody to appear at the Old Bailey on sixteen October.

“On the basis of the information I have already read, there are substantial grounds to believe that if granted bail you would not come back to court.”

Charges span six-month period in 2024 and 2025

The Crown Prosecution Service said between twenty-six November twenty twenty-four and twenty-one May twenty twenty-five Young engaged in conduct preparing to disclose protected information and obtained material intending to benefit a foreign power.