David Smith was caught on camera talking to an undercover operative posing as a Russian agent
(Picture: PA)A security guard at the British embassy in Berlin who was caught spying for Russia admitted he is “disgusted” by his actions, blaming Covid lockdown, loneliness, and fury at WFH colleagues.
David Ballantyne Smith, 58, collected sensitive information and photos, and wrote to a Russian Major General in a bid to pass on secrets.
However he was snared by an undercover operation and charged with offences under the Official Secrets Act.
Giving evidence at the Old Bailey, Smith suggested he had a “grievance” with embassy bosses and only wanted to “embarrass” them by disclosing security lapses.
He said he had become depressed after his Ukrainian wife left Germany and was drinking heavily in the Covid lockdowns.
“I felt undervalued, I felt ignored, I felt I was only there for everyone’s convenience”, he said.
“When people wanted something, you would be their best mate and they would totally blank your existence the next.”
Smith, who has hearing difficulties, said he was “angry with people mocking my disability” and had “had enough of it all”.
“I just wanted to give the embassy a bit of a slap because I didn’t think it was treating me very well”, he said.
Asked about his views on what he did, Smith branded himself a “spoilt brat” and replied: “Now I’ve had the last year and a half to look back, I’m disgusted with myself and ashamed at what I’ve done.”
Turning to work colleagues, he said: “There was supposed to be a killer virus, people were sitting in their living rooms throwing out orders and we (security staff) were forced to get on the train and go to work every day.
“I was angry. Everyone was sitting at home on full pay when we were having to go to work every day. I got more and more depressed, drinking more, and nothing changed as far as my attitutde to people from work.
“Embassy staff went home in lockdown and I’ve never seen them since. I just went downhill after that, and started to get worse.”
In November last year, Smith pleaded guilty to eight charges under the Official Secrets Act by committing an act prejudicial to the safety or interests of the state.
On Monday, prosecutor Alison Morgan KC told the court Smith held “strong anti-UK views” and supported Russia and Vladimir Putin.
“The defendant’s deliberate engagement with the Russian authorities by providing them with confidential and sensitive information demonstrates an inevitable and clear intention to cause prejudice to the UK”, she said.
“The defendant had in his possession confidential and sensitive material dating from as early as 2018.
“It is implausible to suggest that he only took possession of material within the context of a dispute with his employers or because he intended to expose security lapses.”
Giving evidence, Smith denied harbouring anti-British sentiment and said he had only ever voted once in his life, in the early 1980s.
“I don’t take that much interest in politics. I wouldn’t know one from the other”, he said.
“At the moment, I wouldn’t vote for any of them.”
Asked about his patriotism, Smith replied: “I’m Scottish, I like Scottish bag pipe music, pipe bands. I am proud to have served in the RAF.
“The UK in general, but obviously being Scottish.”
Evidence has been presented to the court that Smith visited conspiracy theory websites, including Alex Jones’ InfoWars. He told the court he drank seven pints of beer a day when Germany went into lockdown, and he would often spend entire days on the internet.
Asked about InfoWars, he said he sought out “an alternative view”.
“I don’t think the press are very honest, sorry, but that’s my view”, he said, turning to the press bench in court.
“I just like to get both sides of a story.”
Smith said his depression intensified in lockdown, exacerbating a decline which began after his “soulmate” wife returned to the Ukraine in July 2018.
“It didn’t take long, coming back to an empty house, having weekends to yourself, that I started to become a bit depressed”, he said.
Smith had a cartoon in his locker at work depicting President Putin holding the head of former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, with the caption: “Russia, please free us once again”.
Smith told the court he does not harbour anti-German sentiment, and despite collecting Russian memorabilia he said: “My thoughts on Mr Putin are neither here nor there.”
He said he had no firm plan when he started collecting pictures and information at work, but said he wanted to document security lapses.
“I’ve seen the harm statements”, he added. “I can only apologise for any distress caused to anyone. I didn’t intentionally do it.
“I didn’t set out to harm anyone in any way, I just had a bit of a grievance and wanted to embarrass the embassy in any way I could.”
Photographs taken of his flat included a large Russian Federation flag, various Russian books, a Soviet military hat, a Communist toy Lada car and a life-size cuddly Russian toy Rottweiler dog sporting a military hat.
On the shelves were various books on young female Russian snipers and soldiers who fought battles between Nazis and Soviets.
Smith rejected suggestions he was on the Russian payroll, insisting he had earned extra money by selling military uniforms and artefacts – including Nazi memorabilia – from his collection in a Berlin flea market.
He said his wife had bought the Russian flag during the World Cup from a supermarket, and he had decided to sell some of his collection to make space in his home.
Smith told the court he had used Google Translate to write letters to Russians whose contacts were on the embassy website, he often had been drinking, and sent them at his local Post Office.
“I know I had a gripe with people, I will admit I had a gripe because of people’s attitudes and things going on in the embassy, but there’s still no need for that”, he told the court.
He called a letter address to a Russian general a “spur of the moment thing”, and said of sending it in November 2020: “I had been drinking at the time, the post office was around the corner, I just went and handed it over and paid the money.”
The court has been shown a video Smith took inside the embassy, which includes images of a confidential letter addressed to then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Smith said he had decided to spend the night at the embassy instead of being alone at home.
“I got a microwave curry and another bottle of beer, I thought I will make a video”, he said.
“It was alcohol talking, no one told me. I got the GoPro, had a wander round the embassy. It wasn’t planned, it was the alcohol talking, no one told me.
“It sounded like a good idea at the time.”
Smith said he held on to SIM card packages he had been told to destroy because he believed they were evidence of someone illegally spying for Britain against Germany, dubbing it “the British was up to shenanigans, up to no good.”
Quizzed about the footage of him speaking to ‘Irina’, a British undercover agent posing as a Russian operative, Smith said he knew she was not real.
“The moment she opened her mouth I knew she was English”, he said, claiming to have rumbled her “after she turns to me in an English accent and tried to tell me she is for the Russian intelligent services.”
Smith said he “started to laugh and laughed all the way through the visit, at how ridiculous it was”, and claimed he was “playing a game”.
“If she wants to play silly buggers, I will play it back”, he said.
Asked for his reflection on the charges and his actions, Smith called himself an “arsehole” but insisted: “I’m not an evil person, I’m a human and humans make mistakes.
“I have let my family down, my parents who are in their 80s are getting stress of all this and harassment of the press. The relationship with my daughter has been severely damaged. She has lost her job and career because of my selfish actions.”
He said his wife is struggling financially in Ukraine, and added: “I go to bed every night and hope I die in my sleep. I don’t f***ing care if I wake up tomorrow.”
Smith is due to be sentenced on Friday, following a determination of his intentions by Mr Justice Wall.
The hearing continues.
