Defence contractor, 49, ‘who had a grudge against British authorities and used his photographic memory to steal UK state secrets that he passed to hostile foreign governments in revenge plot’ is charged under Official Secrets Act
- Simon Finch has been charged with unlawfully disclosing defence information
- Finch, 49, is accused of committing the offence ‘on or around October 28, 2018’
- Scotland Yard’s Counter Terrorism Command has led the police investigation
A British defence contractor has been charged under the Official Secrets Act after claiming he had sent top-secret military information to foreign governments.
Simon Finch, of Swansea, South Wales, is accused of a ‘damaging disclosure’ of defence secrets in October last year.
The BAE Systems worker claimed he had sent the sensitive details to ‘a number of hostile foreign governments’ to take revenge on UK authorities after a row with police.
Finch described himself as ‘someone who works upon classified systems, saying he was ‘somewhat autistic and [has] a near-photographic memory’.
Simon Finch, 49, of Swansea,appeared before Westminster magistrates today accused of a ‘damaging disclosure’ of defence information in October last year
He said he had worked in the defence industry for 20 years and claimed he had access to secret and top secret information.
Making the claims from Germany on October 28 last year, he said he had suffered ‘degrading treatment’ at the hands of a UK police force.
‘Since the UK has refused me any justice, compensation, or even treatment… then it has no right to expect my loyalty,’ he said.
‘It gives me very great pleasure to say that I have spent the last ten months documenting secret, top secret and codeword information on the wide range of military systems which I have worked upon.
‘This information has been sent (freely) to a number of hostile foreign governments. If the nation does not care for my security then why should I care for national security?’
Under the 1989 Act, a disclosure is considered damaging if it ‘damages the capability’ of the Armed Forces, leads to loss of life or injury to its personnel, or endangers UK interests abroad.
An investigation by the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command was launched after the alleged offence ‘on or around October 28 last year’.
A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: ‘We are aware of proceedings involving an individual who has been charged with breaching the Official Secrets Act.
‘This is a police matter and questions should be addressed to them.’
Finch has been bailed to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court tomorrow, October 9.