Two UK men charged with spying for China under official secrets act

• Christopher Berry, 32, and Christopher Cash, 29, were charged with spying for China under the Official Secrets Act.
• Charges under the Act relate to allegedly providing "useful information" to a foreign state.
• The charges are set to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on 26 April.

The Met Police have charged Christopher Berry, 32, and Christopher Cash, 29, with spying for China after allegedly providing information that could be "useful to an enemy." They have been charged under the Official Secrets Act for allegedly giving "articles, notes, documents, or information" to a foreign state.

Police called it an "extremely complex investigation into what are severe allegations".

Head of the Counter Terrorism Command, Cdr Dominic Murphy, stated, "We've worked closely with the Crown Prosecution Service as our investigation has progressed, and this has led to the charging of the two men today."

"We're aware there has been a degree of public and media interest in this case, but we would ask others to refrain from any further comment or speculation so that the criminal justice process can now run its course."

The Met stated that officers had previously arrested two men on 13 March 2023 in connection with the investigation. They arrested a man in his 30s at an address in Oxfordshire and a man in his 20s at an address in Edinburgh. Both men were released on police bail while the investigation continued, and a case file was passed to the CPS for consideration in late 2023.

Authorities allege that the charges against Mr. Berry, from Witney in Oxfordshire, occurred between 28 December 2021 and 3 February 2023, while the charges against Mr. Cash, of Whitechapel, London, are alleged to have occurred between 20 January 2022 and 3 February 2023.

The charge states that "for a purpose prejudicial to the safety or interests of the state, obtained, collected, recorded, published, or communicated to any other person articles, notes, documents or information, which were calculated to be, might be, or were intended to be, directly or indirectly, useful to an enemy".

Authorities have bailed the two men to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Friday, 26 April.

Nick Price, head of the CPS's Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said, "Criminal proceedings against the defendants are active. No one should report, comment or share information online which could in any way prejudice their right to a fair trial."

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