A serving member of the Royal Navy has been charged with spying for a foreign power in one of the most serious cases yet brought under Britain's National Security Act. Teddy Young, 24, was arrested at his home in Bedfordshire on Tuesday by counter-terrorism police and charged on Wednesday with two offences covering an alleged six-month campaign of gathering and preparing to disclose protected information, Reuters reported.
Young, who worked in the Royal Navy's intelligence branch, is due to appear at Westminster magistrates' court on Thursday. He has been remanded in police custody.
Table of Contents
- The charges
- Who is Teddy Young?
- A rare prosecution under the National Security Act
- Police caution against speculation
- Not linked to the RAF Fairford incident
- Key takeaways
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Sources
- Related reading
The charges
According to the Metropolitan Police, the Crown Prosecution Service authorised two charges against Young on Wednesday, October 7.
The first, under section 1 of the National Security Act 2023, alleges that between November 26, 2024 and May 21, 2025 he "obtained, copied, recorded or retained protected information, intending the conduct to benefit a foreign power, knowing or having regard to other matters known to him ought reasonably to know was prejudicial to the safety or interests of the United Kingdom." Police did not name the foreign power to which the charges relate.
The second, under section 18 of the same Act, alleges that during the same period he "engaged in conduct in preparation for committing an offence of disclosing protected information."
Both offences are among the most serious in the British statute book, and convictions for the most grave espionage offences under the Act can carry life imprisonment.
Who is Teddy Young?
Young is understood to be an able seaman — the most junior rank in the Royal Navy — who served in its intelligence branch, The Times reported. His access to sensitive material, rather than his rank, is what makes the case so significant: intelligence-branch personnel handle information on naval operations, capabilities and deployments.
The Times also reported that the foreign power he is understood to have sought to benefit is Russia, though this has not been confirmed by police, who declined to name the state concerned.
A rare prosecution under the National Security Act
The National Security Act 2023 was brought in to modernise Britain's counter-espionage laws — replacing the century-old Official Secrets Act framework — and give police sharper tools against state-threat activity, including sabotage, foreign interference and the theft of trade secrets.
Prosecutions of serving military personnel under the Act are extremely rare, and the case will inevitably draw comparisons with Cold War-era espionage scandals that shook the British armed forces. Legal experts note that section 18's "preparation" offence was designed precisely to let investigators intervene before protected material actually changes hands.
Police caution against speculation
Commander Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, said the force had worked "extremely closely with relevant operational colleagues within the Ministry of Defence" to mitigate any potential risks linked to the alleged conduct as the investigation progressed.
"These are very serious charges against a serving member of the armed forces," she said. "It is important now that any further speculation on this case is avoided so that the case can progress through the courts and the justice process not be impeded in any way."
A Royal Navy spokesperson confirmed a service member had been charged but declined to comment further, citing the ongoing legal proceedings.
Not linked to the RAF Fairford incident
Police moved quickly to separate the case from another high-profile investigation: the recent incident at RAF Fairford, a UK airbase from which US bombers have launched strikes, which US officials have said involved a potential Iranian drone attack. The Metropolitan Police confirmed that Young's charges are not connected to that inquiry, in which police said seven people had been arrested since three suspicious vans were stopped near the airbase on September 27. (See also: RAF Fairford terror plot: seventh arrest made.)
Key takeaways
- Teddy Young, 24, a Royal Navy intelligence-branch serviceman, has been charged with two National Security Act offences for allegedly obtaining protected information and preparing to disclose it to a foreign power.
- The alleged conduct spans November 2024 to May 2025; he was arrested at his Bedfordshire home and charged on October 7.
- Police have not named the foreign power; it is a rare prosecution of a serving service member under the 2023 Act.
- Counter-terrorism police stress the charges are unrelated to the separate RAF Fairford investigation.
- He appears at Westminster magistrates' court on Thursday; legal experts say the case will test the National Security Act's newest espionage provisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Teddy Young?
He is a 24-year-old serving member of the Royal Navy, reportedly an able seaman in its intelligence branch, arrested at his home in Bedfordshire on October 6 and charged the following day with espionage-related offences.
What is he accused of?
Two offences under the UK's National Security Act 2023: obtaining or retaining protected information intending to benefit a foreign power, and conduct in preparation for disclosing protected information, between November 2024 and May 2025.
Which foreign power is involved?
Police have not named the foreign power in the charges. The Times reported it is understood to be Russia, but this has not been officially confirmed.
Is this connected to the RAF Fairford incident?
No. The Metropolitan Police explicitly stated that the charges against Young are not connected to the separate investigation into the incident at RAF Fairford.
What happens next?
Young has been remanded in police custody and is due to appear at Westminster magistrates' court on Thursday. Further hearings will follow as the case proceeds through the justice system.
Sources
- Reuters: UK police charge member of Royal Navy under National Security Act
- The Times: Royal Navy sailor Teddy Young charged with spying for foreign power
