Royal Navy service member charged with spying

A Royal Navy service member has been charged with spying for an unnamed foreign country, police have said.

Teddy Young, 24, from Bedfordshire, has been charged with offences under the National Security Act (NSA) including an allegation of obtaining protected information which could benefit an unnamed foreign power.

He has been remanded into custody and is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

Cdr Helen Flanagan, Head of Counter-Terrorism Policing London, said: “These are very serious charges against a serving member of the armed forces”.

Police said the charges were not related to the recent RAF Fairford incident.

Young was arrested at his home address in Bedfordshire on Tuesday.

The charges cover a period between 26 November 2024 and 21 May 2025 and allege conduct “in preparation for committing an offence of disclosing protected information” contrary to the act.

It is also alleged the service member “obtained, copied, recorded or retained protected information, intending the conduct to benefit a foreign power, knowing or having regard to other matters known to him ought reasonably to know was prejudicial to the safety or interests of the United Kingdom”.

Cdr Flanagan added: “We have worked extremely closely with relevant operational colleagues within the Ministry of Defence as our investigation has progressed to ensure appropriate measures could be taken to mitigate any potential risks linked to this matter.”

A Royal Navy spokesperson confirmed a service member had been charged and added: “As legal proceedings are ongoing, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.”