David Ballantyne Smith Wiki

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Who is David Ballantyne Smith ?

A security guard at the British embassy in Berlin suspected of spying for Russia has been extradited to appear in court charged with nine offenses under the Official Secrets Act.

David Ballantyne Smith, 57, is set to appear in Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

The nine charges relate to the collection and communication of information useful to the Russian state, according to the Metropolitan Police.

According to the Daily Telegraph, Smith, originally from Scotland, was arrested last August and has been in German custody until an extradition order was obtained last month.

The newspaper reports that the allegedly past material was classified below the secret level and allegedly included names of British officials entering and leaving the embassy.

How old is David Ballantyne Smith ?

He is 57 year old.

Arrested and Charged

The UK citizen was arrested by German police on August 10.

The crimes are alleged to have occurred between October 2020 and August 2021.

Smith, who had been living in Potsdam, Germany, was flown back to the UK on Wednesday ahead of his appearance at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.

Nick Price, CPS Counterterrorism and Special Crimes Division Chief, said, ‘David Smith has been charged with nine offenses under the Official Secrets Act.

He is charged with seven counts of collecting information with the intent to send it to the Russian authorities, one of attempting to communicate, and one of providing information to a person he believed to be a member of the Russian authorities.

“After reviewing the case and clearing charges, we obtained an extradition order and worked closely with our German counterparts to bring Mr Smith back to the UK.”

The Metropolitan Police said the nine charges related to the collection and communication of information useful to the Russian state.

Nick Price, chief of the special crimes and counter-terrorism division at the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), said Smith was charged with seven counts of collecting information with the intent to send it to Russian authorities. , one of attempted communication and one of providing information to a person he believed to be a member of the Russian authorities.

He said CPS had worked closely with its German counterparts to bring Smith back to the UK after obtaining an extradition warrant.

Statement

A statement from the Met Police added: “A man is due to appear in court charged with Official Secrets Act offences, following an investigation led by the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command.”

‘David Ballantyne Smith, 57, a British citizen living in Potsdam, Germany, is charged with nine offenses under the Official Secrets Act 1911.

Smith, who was working as a security guard at the British embassy in Berlin, was extradited back to the UK from Germany on Wednesday following his arrest by German police on August 10, 2021.

Before working at the embassy, ​​Smith is understood to have worked for Caledonian Airways while living in Scotland.

When he moved to Germany, he worked as part of the German Guard Service, which was contracted by the British Ministry of Defense to patrol the Bielefeld military garrison until 2015.

The Crown Prosecution Service said one of the charges Smith faces relates to allegations that he passed information to a person who believed he was a representative of the Russian state.

The Telegraph reports that Smith’s lawyers tried to fight extradition in December when he left the UK 16 years ago and now regards Germany as his country of origin.

Smith, who was born in the Scottish town of Paisley in July 1964, will appear before Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

David Ballantyne Smith Quick and Facts

• David Smith, 57, had worked as a security guard at the British Embassy in Berlin
• Smith has been charged with a total of nine offences under Official Secrets Act
• He is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, April 7