Charges have been dropped against two men who were accused of spying for China in the United Kingdom.
Christopher Cash, 30, and Christopher Berry, 33, had both denied violating the Official Secrets Act by providing information or documents that could be “useful to an enemy” and “prejudicial to the safety or interests” of the UK.
The charges related to alleged incidents between late 2021 and February 2023.
Mr Cash was a parliamentary researcher who worked with senior politicians from the Conservative Party, with a focus on security and foreign affairs.
He was linked to senior Tories, including previous security minister Tom Tugendhat and Alicia Kearns, who served as chair of the Commons foreign affairs committee.
Mr Berry is reportedly an academic based in Oxfordshire who had taught in China since 2015.
The two men were accused of being in contact with each other and a person suspected of being a Chinese intelligence agent.
They were due to go on trial in October at London’s Central Criminal Court after earlier pleading not guilty.
However, prosecutors said on Monday that the case could not continue.
“The evidence in this case has been kept under continuous review, and it has now been determined that the evidential standard for the offence indicted is no longer met,” the Crown Prosecution Service said in a statement.
“No further evidence will be offered.”
