A parliamentary researcher is amongst two British males who’ve been charged with spying for China after an investigation by counter-terrorism police.
Christopher Money, 29, from Whitechapel in east London, a former researcher for Conservative MP Alicia Kearns, has been accused of an offence below the Official Secrets and techniques Act, the Metropolitan Police stated.
Christopher Berry, 32, from Witney in Oxfordshire, additionally faces the identical cost.
It’s alleged that between January 2022 and February 2023 Mr Money “for a goal prejudicial to the security or pursuits of the State, obtained, collected, recorded, printed, or communicated to another particular person articles, notes, paperwork or data, which have been calculated to be, could be, or have been supposed to be, straight or not directly, helpful to an enemy”.
Mr Berry is accused of the identical offence between December 2021 and February 2023.
Mr Money is known to have labored as a parliamentary researcher and was carefully linked to senior Tories together with Tom Tugendhat – now safety minister – and Ms Kearns, who serves as chair of the Commons International Affairs Committee.
Mr Money was director of Tory MPs’ China Analysis Group, which was initially chaired by Mr Tugendhat after which Ms Kearns.
After he was charged, Ms Kearns posted on X: “Concerning the Crown Prosecution’s announcement this afternoon that two males will probably be charged on espionage offences on behalf of China: As this matter is now sub judice it’s important that neither I, nor anybody else, say something which may prejudice a prison trial referring to a matter of nationwide safety. I cannot be commenting additional.”
Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, stated: “This has been a particularly advanced investigation into what are very critical allegations.
“We’ve labored carefully with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) as our investigation has progressed and this has led to the 2 males being charged in the present day.
“We’re conscious there was a level of public and media curiosity on this case, however we might ask others to chorus from any additional remark or hypothesis, in order that the prison justice course of can now run its course.”
Nick Value, head of the CPS Particular Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, added: “Christopher Berry, 32, and Christopher Money, 29, will probably be charged with offering prejudicial data to a international state, China, and can seem at Westminster Magistrates’ Courtroom on Friday, 26 April.
“Prison proceedings in opposition to the defendants are lively. Nobody ought to report, remark or share data on-line which may in any means prejudice their proper to a good trial.”