LONDON — British prosecutors have dropped charges against two men accused of spying for China — sparking disappointment in the U.K. government.
Christopher Cash, 30, a former researcher for a Conservative MP, and Christopher Berry, a 33-year-old teacher, had previously denied charges of breaching the Official Secrets Act between December 2021 and February 2023. Both men were due to face trial next month.
However, on Monday, prosecutor Tom Little told the Old Bailey court that no evidence would be put forward against the pair. He added: “We simply cannot continue to prosecute this case.”
The court heard that the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) had determined the evidence gathered did not meet the threshold to continue to trial.
A Home Office spokesperson said that “the decision not to proceed with prosecuting two individuals under the Official Secrets Act was made by the Crown Prosecution Service, entirely independently of government. It is disappointing they will not face trial given the seriousness of the allegations.”
In April last year, the CPS authorized the Metropolitan Police to charge the two men with espionage offenses for “providing prejudicial information to a foreign state, China.”
Cash was previously employed as a researcher for Alicia Kearns, who has served as chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, and was involved with the U.K. Parliament’s China Research Group (CRG).
Beijing has repeatedly denied allegations of espionage against Britain, with a Chinese embassy spokesperson previously calling the accusations against Cash and Berry “completely fabricated.”
A Crown Prosecution Service spokesperson said: “In accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors, the evidence in this case has been kept under continuous review and it has now been determined that the evidential standard for the offence indicted is no longer met. No further evidence will be offered.”
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