A member of the British Royal Navy is set to appear in a London court on Thursday to face charges of espionage for an undisclosed foreign entity. Teddy Young, aged 24, is accused of committing two offenses under the UK’s National Security Act. The charges include preparing to divulge protected information between November 2024 and May 2025, as stated by London’s Metropolitan Police Service.
During the same timeframe, Young allegedly acquired, duplicated, recorded, or retained protected information for the advantage of a foreign power. Young has been under police custody since his arrest at his residence in Bedfordshire, just north of London, on Tuesday. He is scheduled to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in central London on Thursday.
Cmdr. Helen Flanagan, the head of counterterrorism policing in London, expressed the seriousness of the charges against a military member. She highlighted the close collaboration with the Ministry of Defence during the investigation to mitigate potential risks associated with the case. The charges are unrelated to the recent security incident at RAF Fairford, a British airbase where U.S. bombers have conducted operations against Iran.
Young was previously arrested on May 21, 2025, and was released on bail pending further inquiries. His security clearance was revoked, and he was relieved of his duties at that time. The Royal Navy released a statement acknowledging the arrest of the service member and refrained from commenting further due to the ongoing legal proceedings.
