A British man who loved James Bond films has been found guilty of trying to spy for what he believed to be Russian intelligence service agents.
Howard Phillips, 65, from Harlow, Essex, intended to help two apparent Russian agents called “Sasha” and “Dima”, including by passing on personal information about former defence secretary Sir Grant Shapps, helping with travel logistics and booking hotels.
But “Dima” and “Sasha” were in fact undercover British intelligence officers, Winchester Crown Court previously heard.
A jury found Phillips guilty of assisting a foreign intelligence service under the National Security Act on Tuesday, following a trial at the same court.
The jury reached a unanimous verdict after four hours and four minutes of deliberations.
Phillips, wearing a dark suit and tie, silently shook his head in the dock as the verdict was given.
Prosecutors said Phillips intended to assist Russian agents from the end of 2023 until May last year.
Phillips offered to pass on Sir Grant’s contact details as well as the location where he kept his private plane in order to “facilitate the Russians in listening on British defence plans”, the trial heard.
He was heard telling the men he wanted to work for Russia in exchange for financial independence from the UK.
The defendant’s ex-wife, Amanda Phillips, told the court during the trial that he “would dream about being like James Bond”, and that he watched films to do with MI5 and MI6 as he was “infatuated with it”.
Mrs Phillips told the court she was aware the defendant had applied for a job at the UK Border Force in October 2023, which prosecutors said was part of his bid to assist Russia’s intelligence service.
Phillips previously claimed he had contacted the Russian embassy in early 2024 in a bid to track and expose Russian agents to assist Israel.
He told jurors he ascertained “from the onset” that “Dima” and “Shasha” were “definitely not Russian” and were undercover individuals, but that he carried on “playing a role” around these agents in order to “test the waters”.
Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb remanded Phillips in custody and adjourned sentencing to the “earliest available date” in the autumn.
The judge said she wanted a full pre-sentence report on the defendant ahead of sentencing as the conviction was for a “relatively new” offence.
Addressing the jurors, she said: “Thank you very much for the important work that you have done on this very important case.
“We are trying, as a system, to get to the right answers in these situations.”
Bethan David, head of the Crown Prosecution Service’s counter terrorism division, said: “This conviction sends a clear message to anyone considering spying for or assisting Russia.
“Howard Phillips clearly outlined the services he was willing to provide for a hostile state. From gaining employment within the civil service and applying for security clearance, to providing the personal details of the Secretary of State for Defence – Phillips was brazen in his pursuit for financial gain and unbothered about the potential detriment to his own country.
“It is a criminal offence to assist a foreign intelligence service, regardless of your motive or whether or not you succeed.
“We will always seek to prosecute anyone who poses a threat to the UK.”
