October 08, 2026
DEVELOPING: Royal Navy Sailor, 24, Charged With Spying for a Foreign Power
Headline card by The Night Desk
What happened
A serving member of the Royal Navy has been charged with spying for a foreign power after a counterterrorism investigation.
Teddy Young, 24, was arrested at his home in Bedfordshire on Tuesday and charged with two offenses under the National Security Act:
- Engaging in conduct in preparation for committing an offense of disclosing protected information
- Obtaining, copying, recording, or retaining protected information intending to benefit a foreign power
The alleged conduct took place between November 26, 2024 and May 21, 2025. The foreign power has not been named, though UK media reports describe the allegations as involving contact with Russia.
Who he is
Young is an able seaman — the most junior rank in the navy — who joined as a Warfare Intelligence Rating in April 2024 with high-level security clearance. He served on a warship and had access to classified material.
Prosecutors told the court the allegations include translating a message into Russian, researching the dark web, and looking for a web portal that invited people to submit information to Russia.
In court
Young appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Thursday, speaking only to confirm his personal details. No pleas were entered. District Judge Annabel Pilling remanded him in custody, sending the case to the Central Criminal Court — the Old Bailey — where he is due to appear on October 16.
Police stressed there is no link between this investigation and the ongoing RAF Fairford probe. A Royal Navy spokesman said that with legal proceedings ongoing, it would be inappropriate to comment further.
This is a developing story. The Night Desk will update this article as the case moves forward.
Source: Associated Press / The Times
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