A serving member of the armed forces, 36, is charged with breaching the Official Secrets Act following a Met anti-terror investigation
A man has been charged with offenses under the Official Secrets Act following an investigation by the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command.
Thomas Newsome, 36, a serving member of the armed forces, was arrested earlier this week and is now due to appear in court, Scotland Yard said.
Newsome was initially arrested and detained under PACE on Tuesday, April 18.
He was subsequently charged late Friday, April 21, with offenses contrary to section 2 and section 8 of the Official Secrets Act, 1989.
He has been remanded in custody and will appear before Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Saturday 22 April.
Thomas Newsome, 36, a serving member of the armed forces, has been charged with offenses under the Official Secrets Act, Scotland Yard said
Section 2 makes it a criminal offense for a Crown official or government contractor to make unauthorized disclosure of information relating to defense if it impairs the armed forces’ ability to carry out their duties.
Section 8 creates offenses related to actions that increase the danger of disclosure.
Under Article 8(1), it is an offense for a Crown official to keep information protected by law in breach of their official duty.
Earlier, a security guard who sent classified documents to Russia and snooped colleagues’ desks at the British Embassy in Berlin was charged under the Official Secret’s Act
David Smith, 58, admitted to anonymously sending classified documents to the Russian embassy in May and November 2020.
Paisley-born Smith began collecting classified material over four years and was caught in August 2021 after an undercover stab.
The former RAF serviceman pleaded guilty to eight charges under the Official Secrets Act and was sentenced to 13 years and two months in prison.
