Latest news with #USBstick
The Sun
3 days ago
- The Sun
Moment alleged Russian spy ‘drops off USB stick in bike seat to leak Grant Shapps's sensitive details'
THIS is the moment a man accused of being a Russian spy dropped off a USB stick - allegedly containing sensitive details about Grant Shapps - underneath a bike seat. A court has been shown photographs that allegedly see Howard Phillips, 65, delivering a secretive message for his " Russian handlers". 6 6 6 Mr Phillips is currently on trial accused of trying to spy for the Kremlin by leaking Shapps' personal information, including the location of his private plane. Pictures shown to Winchester Crown Court allegedly show him following his handlers' instructions by dropping off a message inside a USB stick in the opened seat shaft of a bike. Prosecutors alleged that Mr Phillips wanted to "offer services" to Russian intelligence but unknowingly was corresponding with undercover British security service agents - whom he believed to be from the Kremlin. Another image shows the alleged spy, and previous insolvency worker, being arrested at a Black Sheep Coffee outlet in London. Other pictures display a phone and hotel rooms he allegedly bought on behalf of the Russian "agents". The court heard how the dad of four - who was due to start a job with UK Border Force - handed the operatives a bag containing a USB stick with Shapps' personal details. These included his home address, phone number, and the location of his private plane. Mr Phillips, from Harlow, Essex, denies engaging in conduct to assist a foreign intelligence service. Prosecutors argue that the former insolvency worker boasted he could get government clearance, as a result of his new job with Border Force. The court heard how Mr Phillips said he wanted the "agents" and him to be like "family", adding they could all "help and look after each other". Moment ringleader of bed-hopping Russian spy ring is snared as cops storm UK guesthouse He also allegedly claimed to have been in Shapps' home and had met him several times. In one meeting with the "agents", Mr Phillips said: "I have something. I don't know if you want it or don't want it. "What do you know about the Secretary of Defence in the UK? Because, I have personal information which may be useful." Jurors were shown a letter Mr Phillips was allegedly handed during that same meeting, which read: "Dear Howard, thank you for your continued cooperation. Moscow very pleased with ongoing progress." He reportedly asked that, going forward, the officers refer to Moscow as "mother" in their messages. It is alleged that after this point, Mr Phillips continued to assist the supposed agents and did not withdraw his Border Force job application, which prosecutors say would have provided him with further access to Government information. A note that promised "100 per cent loyalty" to the Russian Intelligence Service (RIS) was also contained in the USB stick he allegedly dropped in the bike. 6 6 6 It also claimed Mr Phillips could move "under the radar" if he gained a valid government security vetting pass. The trial had heard previously how the dad had applied for a job with the UK Border Force in October 2023. However, he was unemployed at the time of the alleged spying, with Jocelyn Ledward KC, prosecuting, saying his "financial struggles" contributed to his "eagerness and desire" to help the RIS. Messages between Mr Phillips and the " Russian spies" began in March 2024, starting first over email before moving to WhatsApp, and eventually Signal. Shapps served as defence secretary from August 2023 to July 2024 and would have been involved in countless important communications with Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The trial continues.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Photos 'show moment alleged Russian spy dropped off USB stick in plot to leak sensitive details about ex-defence secretary Grant Shapps'
Freshly-released photographs allegedly show a Russian spy making a covert USB stick drop as he devised a plot to leak sensitive information about defence secretary Grant Shapps. The images feature Howard Phillips sending a secretive message to his 'Russian' handlers, prosecutors say. The 65-year-old Briton is on trial accused of trying to spy for the Kremlin by leaking Shapps' personal information - including the location of his private plane. Phillips wanted to 'offer services' to Russian intelligence but the two handlers he corresponded with were British undercover security services agents, jurors have been told. Released by the Met Police tonight, the new images allegedly show him following his handlers' instructions by dropping off a message inside a USB stick within the exposed seat shaft of a bike. The photographs also show Phillips - a former insolvency worker - being arrested at Black Sheep Coffee shop in London. Other images depict a phone and hotel rooms he allegedly bought on behalf of the Russian 'agents'. A court has heard that the father-of-four, who was set to start a job with UK Border Force, later handed the 'agents' a bag containing a USB stick with Shapps' details on. The USB stick in question, which the Met Police said contained Shapps home address, phone number, and the location of his private plane On the stick contained Shapps home address, phone number, and the location of his private plane. At Winchester Crown Court, Hants, Phillips denies engaging in conduct to assist a foreign intelligence service. Prosecutors say Phillips, from Harlow, Essex, boasted he could get government clearance due to his new job at Border Force. He said he wanted the 'agents' and him to be a 'family' - and said they could all 'help each other' and 'look after each other'. He claimed to have been to Shapps home and had met up with him several times. Inside the USB stick he dropped into the bike was a note that promised '100 per cent loyalty' to the Russian Intelligence Service [RIS] and boasted of how he could move 'under the radar' thanks to a valid government security vetting pass. One of the intelligence officers, who is employed by the security service, gave evidence from behind a curtain at Winchester Crown Court on Thursday. The British officer was known to Phillips as 'Dima' and spoke to him in recordings with a fake Russian accent. In recordings played to court, Phillips told the 'agents': 'I do not want and cannot for myself go back into the normal nine-to-five office. It's not for me, it never was for me, but I did it.' Describing how he first decided he would like to work with RIS, he said: 'I was thinking, I have to do something, I have to earn money, what can I do and I came up with all the things I don't want to do. 'I was thinking about, funnily enough, I was thinking about maybe, going away on holiday. I thought about Moscow. 'Its just a thought process and I suddenly thought, maybe I can offer services. I get what I want and you get what you want.' Phillips told the agents: 'We all help each other and we look after each other, we become a family.' On May 9, Phillips met with 'Dima' at a Costa Coffee in a retail park in West Thurrock, Essex. It was here that he revealed what information he had been holding. Phillips told the officer: 'I have something. I don't know if you want it or don't want it. What do you know about the Secretary of Defence in the UK? Because, I have personal information which may be useful. The hotel keycards in Howard Philips' possession at the time of his arrest 'So I know his home address, I know his home telephone number and I know where he has his private plane. Maybe it's of interest, maybe not.' When asked by 'Dima' how he knew this information, Phillips said: 'Because, about five years ago, I was invited to his house with a lot of other people. 'He was the MP for Welwyn Hatfield. The local MP. 'And then, he became chairman of the Conservative Party and now he's Secretary of Defence.' Phillips was asked if he 'knew' Shapps and in response said: 'Just a little, you know, we've met three times, I think.' The trial previously heard that Phillips, a former insolvency worker, had applied for a job with the UK Border Force in October 2023. He was unemployed and 'struggling financially' at the time, and prosecutor Jocelyn Ledward KC said this was a significant factor in his 'eagerness and desire' to provide assistance to the RIS. Communication between Phillips and the 'Russian spies' began in March 2024, initially via email and then by WhatsApp and later on Signal. Shapps served as Secretary of State for Defence during the Ukraine and Russia war, and would have held negotiations with Volodymyr Zelensky. He was defeated in last year's general election and lost his seat.
Telegraph
4 days ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Pictured: Alleged Russian spy ‘conceals USB with Shapps's details'
A court has seen images of a man accused of spying on Sir Grant Shapps for the Russian state allegedly making a covert USB stick drop in a bike. Photographs allegedly show Howard Phillips delivering a secretive message for his 'Russian handlers'. Mr Phillips, 65, is on trial accused of trying to spy for the Kremlin by leaking the former defence secretary's personal information, including the location of his private plane. Prosecutors alleged he wanted to 'offer services' to Russian intelligence but the two handlers he corresponded with were British undercover security services agents. Images shown to Winchester Crown Court allegedly show him following his handlers' instructions by dropping off a message inside a USB stick within the exposed seat shaft of a bike. Other images show Mr Phillips, a former insolvency worker, being arrested at a Black Sheep Coffee shop in London. Some images show a phone and hotel rooms he allegedly bought on behalf of the 'Russian agents'. A court has heard that the father of four, who was set to start a job with UK Border Force, later handed the 'agents' a bag containing a USB stick with Sir Grant's details on. The details allegedly included his home address, phone number and the location of his private plane. Mr Phillips, from Harlow, Essex, denies engaging in conduct to assist a foreign intelligence service. Prosecutors say Mr Phillips boasted he could get government clearance due to his new job at Border Force. He said he wanted the 'agents' and him to be a 'family', and said they could all 'help each other' and 'look after each other', the court heard. He allegedly claimed to have been to Sir Grant's home and had met him several times. Inside the USB stick he allegedly dropped into the bike was a note that promised '100 per cent loyalty' to the Russian Intelligence Service [RIS] and boasted of how he could move 'under the radar' thanks to a valid government security vetting pass. The trial previously heard that Mr Phillips had applied for a job with the UK Border Force in October 2023. He was unemployed and 'struggling financially' at the time, and Jocelyn Ledward KC, prosecuting, said this was a significant factor in his 'eagerness and desire' to provide assistance to the RIS. Communication between Mr Phillips and the 'Russian spies' began in March 2024, initially via email and then by WhatsApp and later on Signal. Sir Grant served as defence secretary during the Russian war on Ukraine and would have had important communications with Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president. He lost his seat in last year's general election. The trial continues.
