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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World
Sam Blewett

Prosecutors given file on parliamentary researcher accused of spying for China

Police have handed prosecutors a file on their investigation into a parliamentary researcher arrested on suspicion of spying for China.

Officers have passed the file to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for consideration after two men were detained under the Official Secrets Act, Scotland Yard said.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confronted Chinese premier Li Qiang at the G20 summit in India over an "unacceptable" interference in democracy after the arrests emerged in September.

Then 28, the researcher insisted he was "completely innocent" and he had spent his career highlighting the "challenge and threats presented by the Chinese Communist Party".

The Briton, with connections to senior Tory MPs, has not been named by his lawyers, who released the statement disputing the claims, or police.

He was arrested along with the other man on March 13 as officers from the Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism Command, which oversees espionage-related offences, investigated.

An update from Scotland Yard said: "Officers have been in liaison with CPS in relation to this investigation and a case file has now been passed to them for consideration.

"Both men remain on police bail at this time and inquiries continue."

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