
'Russian spy', 65, planned to tell Moscow about former defence secretary Sir Grant Shapps' private plane, home address, and phone number, court hears
Howard Phillips, 65, from Harlow in Essex, is on trial over allegedly intending to assist the spy network by helping people he believed were agents working for Moscow.
Prosecutors allege Phillips was 'very keen' to develop a relationship with undercover officers he believed were Russian agents, known as 'Dima' and 'Sasha', Winchester Crown Court heard.
It is alleged Phillips, who was unemployed at the time, told the 'agents' he held personal information about Sir Grant, including his phone number and details of his private plane.
He was said to have carried out various tasks for 'Dima' and 'Sasha' in exchange for payment because he was 'struggling financially'.
'That appears to have been a very significant factor in his eagerness and desire to provide assistance to the RIS,' prosecutor Jocelyn Ledward KC told jurors as she opened the case on Wednesday.
'The evidence shows he was very keen to offer assistance, not necessarily for any ideological reason, or because he sympathised with the Russian state but particularly to be financially rewarded for so doing...easy work for easy money.'
Phillips did not know the 'agents' were role players, Ms Ledward KC told jurors.
'He thought and understood them to be Russian agents,' Ms Ledward said.
'They were Russian agents with whom the defendant was very keen to develop a relationship - he was also very keen to provide assistance to them in various imaginative ways of his own devising.'
She added: 'Had the defendant succeeded in any or all of what he had intended to do, any or all of these acts could have had very serious consequences indeed.'
Jurors were told Phillips first disguised himself to the 'agents', purporting to be a 'David Marshall', but later told them his identity.
The court heard he told the 'agents' on WhatsApp that he was 'semi-retired but with connections in high places. Living in Hertfordshire'.
Jurors heard Phillips told 'Dima' and 'Sasha' that he had personal details about Sir Grant, including his phone number and details of his private plane.
Ms Ledward told jurors Phillips met with one or both of the 'agents' in person, including once at a Costa at Lakeside Retail Park, in West Thurrock, Essex, last May 9.
'During this meeting, the defendant revealed... he held personal details about the then-UK secretary of state for defence, including his home address,' she said.
'The defendant explained that he had met Grant Shapps and had visited his house.'
The court heard that at that meeting, Phillips was given £500 in cash to get a phone for the agents and book them a hotel.
It is alleged Phillips intended to assist Russian agents from the end of 2023 until last May.
Jurors heard that Phillips applied for a job at the UK Border Force as a part time Border Force officer in October 2023.
Prosecutors say that by March last year, he was in communication with 'Dima' and 'Sasha' by email, later WhatsApp.
Then on April 4 that year he allegedly left the 'agents' a USB on the exposed seat shaft of a bike in London, near St Pancras and Euston stations, the court heard.
Ms Ledward told jurors Phillips told 'Dima' and 'Sasha' about 'the services he was willing to provide' on the USB, in a document saying: 'If a foreign power had someone on the outside, totally hidden, completely secret, who moves easily in society, anywhere on any level and can completely blend in as an upstanding citizen locally or tourist in any worldwide location, that would prove invaluable to a foreign entity in ensuring discretion of movement.'
The document continued: 'The question is, if such a person can act for you at any time, with 100 per cent loyalty and dedication, no questions asked by anyone on any level, do you consider that such a person could prove invaluable to you?'
Ms Ledward told jurors Phillips made a reference to the fact that he was in the process of getting government security clearance by applying for the border force role.
She told the court that last April 26, Phillips met 'Sasha' and 'Dima' at a hired meeting apartment in London Bridge hotel to 'articulate specifically what he could offer to the RIS'.
In an audio recording played to the court, which prosecutors said was from the meeting at the hotel, Phillips is alleged to have said: 'I've worked 9-5 in offices all my life, I want to be doing something different.'
It is alleged Phillips was asked why he picked Russia, and in the audio said: 'I have only been once, I feel that over many, many years there has been a lot of discredit accorded towards Russia and I think a lot of it is absolute rubbish.'
The court heard Phillips told the 'agents' at the meeting that he was 'motivated by financial gain' and 'wanted to be financially independent from the UK'.
Jurors heard he told agents he would be able to provide logistical support in the UK, such as transport and booking hotel rooms.
After that meeting, Phillips and the 'agents' began communicating on messaging platform Signal, jurors were told.
Prosecutors claim the 65-year-old did not withdraw his border force application 'as he came more deeply involved with what he believed were actual RIS agents'.
'The defendant no doubt believed, or certainly came to realise, the prosecution say, that working at a government agency such as the Border Force and the security clearance that came with it, would give him access to information that he could later provide to a foreign intelligence service,' Ms Ledward told jurors.
Jurors heard Phillips created a document containing Sir Grant's personal details on May 16 last year, and met with 'Sasha' in London that day to take instructions and collect cash for a task he was given.
He was arrested by plain clothed officers that afternoon in a coffee shop near King's Cross station, the court heard.
Phillips denies the charge of engaging in conduct to assist a foreign intelligence service, in breach of the National Security Act, and the trial continues.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Independent
4 hours ago
- The Independent
How social media is helping the far-right spread fear and hate
At around 5.30pm on 7 July, Essex Police officers were called to the High Street in Epping after receiving reports that a man was behaving inappropriately towards a teenage girl. Hadush Kebatu, 38, an asylum seeker from Ethiopia, allegedly tried to kiss a schoolgirl as she ate pizza and he has since been charged with three counts of sexual assault. But news that he had only arrived in the UK eight days earlier via a small boat quickly took hold on social media, sparking a series of protests that turned violent and thrusting the historic Essex town into the heart of an anti-immigration row. What started as a group of locals voicing their grievances outside the Bell Hotel, which is believed to house asylum seekers, has now escalated into what has been described as a 'powder keg situation', with fears it could prompt a wave of riots across the country, similar to those seen last summer. In the past two weeks, prominent leaders in neo-Nazi groups and far-right organisations have been accused of exploiting the situation by pivoting demonstrations towards violence, with some demanding a 'national call for action'. Their weapon of choice? Social media, which the far-right have long been known to harness as a tool to spread fear and hate. Several right-wing activists have rebranded themselves as citizen journalists or political commentators, helping them accrue millions of followers in the UK and across the globe. Joe Mulhall, of the charity Hope Not Hate, said that is dangerous at a time when misinformation online spreads quickly and can whip up tensions. 'It's deeply concerning that a rumour or allegation can spread so quickly and take hold. Last year in Southport, misinformation from influencers like Andrew Tate spread like wildfire about the ethnicity and nationality of the perpetrator of the awful murders. 'When misinformation spreads, it can legitimise existing biases and as a rumour or allegation takes hold, things can quickly move offline.' Among those who have set up the private Facebook page Epping Says No, which advertises the protests, are three members of the group Homeland. Founded in 2023 after splitting from neo-Nazi group Patriotic Alternative, it has been described as the largest fascist group in the UK. This week, one of its prominent members has shared several videos of the protests on social media, and has called for future action, urging: 'If you live in an area that has a hotel occupied by asylum seekers, start organising.' Members of other groups, including former neo-Nazi terror group Combat 18, the British National Party and the Patriots of Britain, have also been spotted at the demonstrations. Mr Mullhall warned that with over-worked and over-stretched police forces, racist and anti-immigration rhetoric online can often fall under the radar. He said the UK 'needs to be ahead of the curve' to clamp down on this activity. 'Tracking these comments and the individuals responsible is tricky,' he said. 'The far-right are no longer divided into neat groupings but are instead thousands of people posting videos outside migrant accommodation, posting rumours and making comments online. 'Gone are the days when the police or social media companies can simply deplatform a particular group to resolve this issue.' Since Elon Musk 's takeover of X, formerly known as Twitter, the platform has changed significantly, with the Tesla founder reportedly tweaking its algorithms and removing its fact-checking mechanisms. This included turning the platform into a pro-Maga Trump echo chamber in the run-up to last year's US presidential elections, and reinstating previously banned figures such as Tommy Robinson and Katie Hopkinson. For Hope Not Hate, it has become a visible and concerning trend to see US figures commenting on UK politics and societal issues, boosting far-right voices, such as those of anti-Islam activist Robinson, who has hinted he will be in attendance at an Epping protest on Sunday. Mr Mullhall said: "The far right has changed dramatically and ironically, knows no borders. What we're seeing now is key figures emerging online. We're no longer looking at organisations but key people who emerge during a time of crisis. 'The far right is international, they move around and they move in pacts and trying to find any weakness. They have no formal leader; there's no single leader, it's like they're a group of fish that move around the internet exploiting situations. 'It is no surprise that we've seen a rise in far-right activity in the UK, US and Europe – these groups and ideas are interconnected.' Dr Karen Middleton, from the University of Portsmouth, who has been an expert witness in the UK government's inquiry into social media, misinformation, and harmful algorithms, said the recent protests in Epping were 'in many ways, a continuation of the riots from last year'. She said: 'Sensationalist and polarising content gathers more clicks, gathers more engagement, so there is a systemic incentive for spreading misinformation online.' She urged large social media platforms to go much further in addressing the spread of misinformation, but warned this was not about limiting free speech. 'This is about taking responsibility for published information that is online that goes to a large number of people, and is very often spread by people with high profiles,' she said. A spokesperson for the National Police Chiefs Council (NPSCC) said communities had a part to play in halting the spread of misinformation and urged people to 'carefully consider' what they read, share, and trust online to avoid stoking tensions. 'We would encourage the public to access formal authorities for accurate information. The spread of disinformation and misinformation by individuals or groups can significantly contribute to community tensions and has real-world implications. We all have a responsibility in this respect, and relevant criminal law applies to online actions,' they added. They also called on social media companies to be vigilant to the spread of false information and to 'ensure harmful content is detected, challenged and removed in a timely manner'.


The Independent
4 hours ago
- The Independent
Spacey told actor ‘don't worry about it' after alleged assault, documents claim
Kevin Spacey allegedly sexually assaulted a young actor at a party at The Savoy hotel and then told him 'Don't worry about it', court documents for the High Court legal claim suggest. Ruari Cannon is suing Mr Spacey as well as two organisations connected to the Old Vic Theatre in London, claiming he suffered psychiatric damage as a result of sexual and emotional abuse. The 33-year-old has waived his anonymity in the claim. In court documents seen by the PA news agency, Mr Cannon alleges that Mr Spacey, who was a 'powerful figure and a world-famous actor and celebrity' at the time, assaulted him in about June 2013, when he was 'a very vulnerable young man'. Oscar-winning actor Mr Spacey has previously denied allegations of inappropriate behaviour and wrongdoing, and details of his defence are not yet available. According to the documents, filed in June, Mr Spacey was working as artistic director at the Old Vic Theatre at the time of the alleged assaults on a production of a play by Tennessee Williams known as Sweet Bird Of Youth, and Mr Cannon was a member of the cast in this production. They claim that Mr Spacey 'took a particular interest' in Mr Cannon for 'reasons of sexual interest' and sent him a 'lavish' gift of a framed poster of the 1985 production of the play directed by Harold Pinter. After the press preview of the show on June 12 2013, Mr Cannon attended a party at The Savoy in London organised by The Old Vic Theatre Company (The Cut) and The Old Vic Theatre Trust 2000. It is claimed that one of the alleged assaults took place at the event. Setting out the allegations, Elizabeth-Anne Gumbel KC, for Mr Cannon, said: 'Kevin Spacey pulled the claimant towards him, turned him around through 45 degrees and placed his left hand on the claimant's buttocks and lifted up the recess material of his suit.' It is alleged that Mr Spacey then pushed Mr Cannon's underwear 'as far up' into his bottom as possible, 'so as to cause pain and distress'. Ms Gumbel added: 'Mr Kevin Spacey pulled the claimant closer to him and whispered into the claimant's ear 'Don't worry about it'. 'Mr Spacey made more uncalled for and unwelcome advances to the claimant during the evening.' The following day, Mr Cannon reported the alleged assaults to his stage manager at the Old Vic Theatre, but no action was taken. According to the documents, it is accepted that Mr Cannon did not ask for any action to be taken, and was scared about how any further action might affect his career. Later that year, during the run of the show, Mr Cannon saw Mr Spacey at the Old Vic bar. Mr Spacey allegedly said to him, 'I hear you have a dirty secret', and then said: 'Open up.' Ms Gumbel said: 'Kevin Spacey then forced open the claimant's mouth with his fingers and thumbs and commented 'quite a bad boy' before the claimant could pull away. 'The claimant then left the bar. The forcing open of the claimant's mouth was another assault for which Kevin Spacey was responsible and for which the second and/or third defendants were vicariously liable. 'Further in 2017 when the Old Vic set up a confidential complaints email on October 31 2017 the claimant reported the above complaint again to the Old Vic.' She added that the alleged assaults were carried out by Mr Spacey in the course of his work for the organisations connected to the Old Vic, and they are 'vicariously liable' for the alleged assaults carried out in the context of a theatre production.


BBC News
4 hours ago
- BBC News
Transgender woman, 71, killed partner with sword, jury finds
A jury has found that a transgender woman killed her Rowland-Stuart, 71, was charged with murdering Andrew Rowland-Stuart, 70, at their home in Brighton in May a psychiatric assessment, Ms Rowland-Stuart was deemed unfit to a trial of facts at Lewes Crown Court, a jury agreed that Ms Rowland-Stuart did commit the act and she was given an indefinite Hospital Order Under Section 41 of the Mental Health Act 1983. Ms Rowland-Stuart, who identifies as a transgender woman, and Mr Rowland-Stuart, known as Andy, had a civil partnership in 2006.A post mortem concluded that he died from stab wounds and the trial previously heard that she killed him with a samurai previously told police that she had acted in self defence at his flat in Lavender Street on 27 May 2024. Recovered internet searches from Ms Rowland-Stuart's phone in the weeks before the death showed 14 results for swords, including replica swords, curved swords, samurai curved swords, Japanese swords and Japanese sword names, the court was previously Rowland-Stuart was ruled unfit to plead by Judge Christine Laing KC on Monday, so did not take part in the trial.A statement released on behalf of Mr Rowland-Stuart's family said: "We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone involved with this case over the past year."To DC Anna Stacey for her care and communication with the family while we were in England and back home in New Zealand, and to Andrew's Sussex 4x4 family, especially Jason, who helped us immensely while we were there."Det Ch Insp Alex Campbell, from Sussex Police, said: "Our thoughts remain with the family of Andrew and we want to thank everyone who has assisted us in this complex investigation."