Man found guilty of attempting to assist 'Russian spies' in breach of national security

The 65-year-old from Harlow, Essex, handed over the home address and landline for Shapps, his local MP and then Defence Secretary, during an undercover sting by MI5.

Phillips, wearing a dark suit and tie, silently shook his head in the dock as the verdict was given.

The defendant’s ex-wife, Amanda Phillips, 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 as he was "infatuated with it".

In a document saved on a USB drive he handed to the officers, Phillips said he could be someone who could "move undetected and travel anywhere at any time, no questions asked" and "avoid suspicion."

Phillips told the court she was aware the defendant had applied for a job at the UK Border Force in October 2023. Prosecutors said this was part of his bid to assist Russia’s intelligence service.

She previously claimed he had contacted the Russian embassy in early 2024 in a bid to track and expose Russian agents to assist Israel.

Jocelyn Ledward KC, prosecuting, told the court Phillips was seeking "interesting and exciting work for easy money" as he was "struggling financially".

Phillips, who is divorced with four grown-up children, became an insolvency practitioner in 1986 and had worked for Bond Partners in the City.

He had become self-employed in 2011 and then worked as a manager in the charity sector before moving to GDPR compliance in "semi-retirement" in 2018.

Phillips explained that he sent out hundreds of CVs and applied online, adding: "I was avidly seeking employment but none was forthcoming."

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In a bizarre twist, Phillips then wrote a series of letters to Conservative Party ministers, offering his advice on how to influence the electorate.

He also penned letters to Hollywood actors, including Tom Cruise and Jennifer Aniston, asking to meet and talk about how to get into the movie business.

However, his financial situation was "decreasing rapidly".

The 65-year-old had used up all the money he had gained from the sale of a property.

He had a balance of £25,126.09 in his bank accounts on April 29, 2023.

However, by May 20, 2024, it had dropped to £374.48 after using his savings to pay off Santander credit card bills, reports Sky News.

Phillips previously claimed he had contacted the Russian embassy in early 2024 in a bid to track and expose Russian agents to assist Israel.

He told jurors he ascertained "from the onset" that "Dima" and "Shasha" were "definitely not Russian" and were undercover individuals, but that he carried on "playing a role" around these agents in order to "test the waters".

Justice Cheema-Grubb remanded Phillips in custody and adjourned sentencing to the "earliest available date" in the autumn.

The judge said she wanted a full pre-sentence report on the defendant ahead of sentencing as the conviction was for a "relatively new" offence.

Head of the Crown Prosecution Service’s counter terrorism division Bethan David said: "This conviction sends a clear message to anyone considering spying for or assisting Russia.

"Howard Phillips clearly outlined the services he was willing to provide for a hostile state.

"From gaining employment within the civil service and applying for security clearance, to providing the personal details of the Secretary of State for Defence, Phillips was brazen in his pursuit for financial gain and unbothered about the potential detriment to his own country.

"It is a criminal offence to assist a foreign intelligence service, regardless of your motive or whether or not you succeed. We will always seek to prosecute anyone who poses a threat to the UK."