UK government ‘disappointed’ charges dropped against men accused of spying for China

Christopher Cash, a former parliamentary researcher, outside Westminster magistrates court in April. He and Christopher Berry denied the accusations. Photograph: Hollie Adams/Reuters

The UK government says it is “extremely disappointed” by a decision to drop charges of spying for China against two men, one of whom was a parliamentary aide.

The men, Christopher Cash, 30, and Christopher Berry, 33, had denied accusations of providing information prejudicial to the interests of the state in breach of the Official Secrets Act between December 2021 and February 2023.