Joshua Cammidge, a 31-year-old man from Swindon, has been charged with national security offenses over alleged cooperation with Russian military intelligence.
The Crown Prosecution Service and Scotland Yard confirmed the charges after counter-terrorism officers detained Cammidge in his home town. Investigators allege that Cammidge received instructions from an individual believed to be linked to a volunteer corps controlled by the GRU, Russia's military intelligence service.
Cammidge faces two specific counts under the UK's National Security Act 2023, comprising assisting a foreign intelligence service and carrying out preparatory conduct. He is scheduled to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Thursday.
Counter-terrorism officers from London's Metropolitan Police initially detained Cammidge on Friday in Swindon, a town in Wiltshire in southwest England. He was taken to a police station in London for questioning while officers searched a second address in Swindon.
Police formally arrested Cammidge on Saturday under the National Security Act, and he remains in custody. The Crown Prosecution Service stated that prosecutors reviewed the evidence gathered by counter-terrorism investigators and deemed it sufficient to bring formal charges.
National Security Act and Legal Powers
The charges against Cammidge were brought under the National Security Act 2023, legislation introduced by the UK Parliament to update Britain's espionage and foreign interference laws. The legislation created modern criminal offenses targeting individuals who assist foreign intelligence services or engage in preparatory conduct aimed at assisting foreign states.
The Crown Prosecution Service acts as the principal public prosecution agency for criminal cases in England and Wales. When handling complex cases involving national security, the agency works alongside specialized counter-terrorism units to determine whether evidence warrants prosecution in court.
Cases brought under national security laws in London are typically referred to Westminster Magistrates' Court for initial proceedings. The court handles preliminary hearings, custody decisions, and committal arrangements for terrorism and state threat offenses before cases proceed to higher courts.
Russian Military Intelligence and Investigation
The GRU, officially known as the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, is Russia's main military intelligence service. British security authorities consider the agency responsible for foreign military intelligence operations and oversight of affiliated volunteer structures.
Scotland Yard's Counter Terrorism Command leads national investigations into suspected espionage, foreign state threat activity, and hostile state conduct across the United Kingdom, operating from police headquarters in London.
Public defense representatives for Cammidge have not yet issued a statement, and no formal defense position has been publicly presented. Cammidge remains in police custody pending his scheduled court appearance.
