Royal Navy serviceman Teddy Young charged with spying for foreign power

Charged under the National Security Act

A serving member of the Royal Navy has been charged with spying-related offences under the National Security Act, police have announced.

Teddy Young, 24, was arrested at his home in Bedfordshire on Tuesday, 6 October, following an investigation by London’s counter-terrorism command. He has been charged with preparing to disclose protected information and obtaining information designed to benefit a foreign state.

The alleged offences occurred over a six-month period, stretching from late November 2024 to May 2025. Young has been remanded in custody and is due to make his first appearance at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

The case marks a rare and highly sensitive prosecution of an active-duty British military service member under modern national security laws.

Close coordination with the Ministry of Defence

Commander Helen Flanagan, the head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, confirmed the charges on Thursday morning, highlighting the sensitivity of the investigation.

"These are very serious charges against a serving member of the armed forces," Flanagan said.

She added that counter-terrorism officers worked in close coordination with the Ministry of Defence as the inquiry unfolded. This cooperation was intended to identify and manage any potential intelligence or security leaks associated with Young's position in the Navy.

"We have worked extremely closely with relevant operational colleagues within the Ministry of Defence as our investigation has progressed to ensure appropriate measures could be taken to mitigate any potential risks linked to this matter," Flanagan said.

Unrelated to RAF Fairford incident

The police have not yet named the foreign country involved in the allegations, nor have they released details about Young’s specific role within the Royal Navy or what level of security clearance he held.

They did, however, take the unusual step of ruling out any connection to another recent military security scare. Officials confirmed that Young's arrest is entirely unrelated to the ongoing investigation into an incident at RAF Fairford, a military airbase in Gloucestershire used by both British and American air forces.

Young is expected to remain in custody ahead of his court hearing, where prosecutors are likely to outline the broad scope of the allegations against him before the case is transferred to a higher court.