Harlow man guilty of failed Russian spy plot to share personal information about Sir Grant Shapps
Howard Phillips, 65, intended to help two apparent Russian agents called 'Sasha' and 'Dima', by passing on personal information about former defence secretary Sir Grant Shapps.
He also was helping the pair with travel logistics and booking hotels.
But 'Dima' and 'Sasha' were in fact undercover British intelligence officers, Winchester Crown Court 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.
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.
Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb remanded Phillips in custody and adjourned sentencing to the 'earliest available date' in the autumn.
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