China spy row: Berry knew some of his contacts were non-commercial, messages suggest

Berry was charged in April 2024 in relation to reports he wrote for a Chinese handler between 2021 and 2023. The case was later dropped. Photograph: James Veysey/Shutterstock

Christopher Berry, the man at the heart of a controversial and now-abandoned Chinese espionage case, appeared to be aware that he was supplying information to a non-commercial client, according to messages seen by the Guardian.

In August 2022, Berry sent a voice note saying that “they want me to work for them directly instead of going through the company”.