British ‘James Bond wannabe' guilty of trying to spy for Russia
Howard Phillips, 65, intended to help two apparent Russian agents called 'Sasha' and 'Dima', including by passing on personal information about Sir Grant Shapps, the former defence secretary, 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, from Harlow in Essex, guilty of assisting a foreign intelligence service, in breach of 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.
'Infatuated with it'
Amanda Phillips, the defendant's ex-wife, 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 and 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.
Justice Bobbie Cheema-Grubb remanded Phillips in custody and adjourned sentencing to the 'earliest available date' in the autumn.
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