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British Embassy in Berlin
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A former security guard at the British embassy in Berlin has been sentenced to 13 years and two months in prison for spying for Russia.
For years, the 58-year-old passed on a “significant amount” of sensitive information to a contact at the nearby Russian embassy.
He should have been aware that such information in the wrong hands could harm Britain and threaten other embassy staff.
The judge at the Old Bailey Criminal Court said in the verdict that the convict had developed an "anti-British" attitude.
In conversations with colleagues, he said he was more "sympathetic to Russia, especially to President (Vladimir) Putin".
Spy claims to have acted out of resentment against employers
In return for the information, the man received large sums of money.
Security services had set a trap for him.
German authorities arrested him in August 2021 and later extradited him to the UK.
The convict pleaded guilty to eight charges in court in November.
His motivation was that he wanted to cause "difficulties and embarrassment" for the embassy.
He acted purely out of resentment against his employer and received no money.
However, the court did not believe that.
The embassies of Russia and Great Britain are only a few hundred meters apart in Berlin.
til/dpa
