A British man who offered himself as a spy to assist the Russian Intelligence Service has been jailed for seven years after an investigation led by Counter Terrorism Policing London.
Howard Phillips, aged 66, was arrested after a series of interactions with undercover officers, whom Phillips believed were Russian agents.
Howard Phillips has been sentenced to seven years.
In a series of meetings, Phillips offered to hand over personal details of a former cabinet minister and provide logistical support to Russian espionage activities.
Commander Dominic Murphy, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, said: “This case demonstrates the serious consequences for anyone who thinks working on behalf of the Russian intelligence service is a way of earning easy money.
“As shown by the recent conviction of Dylan Earl and Jake Reeves, we are making full use of the National Security Act, to ensure those who act against the interests of our country are prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
“The truth is, those who work as ‘proxies for Russia are unlikely to receive a large cash windfall. In fact, there is a strong likelihood they won’t be given any money at all.
“However, what they are doing is risking their liberty for a long period of time. As this case shows, those convicted under the National Security Act can expect to receive lengthy prison sentences.”
A jury at Winchester Crown Court heard that Phillips was arrested by officers from the Counter Terrorism Command on 16 May, 2024 in central London.
Phillips had travelled to the capital for a meeting with two people he believed to be Russian agents. In fact, the people Phillips had been communicating with were undercover officers.
In a series of emails, social media messages and face to face meetings, the undercover officers observed Phillips’s eagerness to help the Russian Intelligence Service in return for payment.
The jury heard Phillips handed over personal details of the UK’s Secretary of State for Defence at the time. Phillips had previously met the Minister, who was his local MP, and visited his house.
Phillips also told the undercover officers that he recently applied for a job at UK Border Force and was in the process of applying for Home Office security clearance for that role.
In a document saved on a USB drive he handed to the officers, Phillips said he could be someone who could “move undetected and travel anywhere at any time, no questions asked” and “avoid suspicion.”
Following his arrest, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) authorised charges against Phillips, (29.08.59) of Harlow, and he was charged on 23 May 2024 with an offence under section 3 of the National Security Act (NSA), 2023.
After a two-week trial, he was convicted of this offence on 22 July. He was sentenced on Thursday, 6 November to seven years’ imprisonment.