Royal Navy sailor faces new charges after alleged classified information breach

A Royal Navy sailor accused of plotting to leak classified information to Russia has appeared at the Old Bailey to face fresh charges against him.Teddy Young, 24, allegedly abused his high-level security clearance to access secret defence and intelligence data while deployed on a Navy vessel.He drafted a message in Russian containing classified information and took steps to make direct contact with the Russian authorities using the dark web, it is claimed.Young joined the Navy in April 2024 and allegedly began offending on his first deployment from November 4 2024.Read MoreHe was serving as a Royal Navy warfare intelligence rating with high-level security clearance and intelligence-system access.Teddy Young appeared at the Old Bailey for a preliminary hearing before Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb (PA)PA ArchiveBritish national Young was first arrested on May 21 2025 and then rearrested on October 6.On Friday, Young, of Clapham in Bedford, appeared at the Old Bailey for a preliminary hearing before Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb.The defendant appeared by videolink from Belmarsh prison wearing a grey tracksuit and spoke to confirm his identity.Prosecutor Kelly Brocklehurst said the allegations against Young arose “out of the defendant’s duties as a serving member of the Royal Navy”.He said the evidence indicated he accessed and, without authority, retained “sensitive information” about intelligence and was communicating with a “third party overseas”.He alleged the defendant “intended to share some or all of the intelligence with a foreign power”.Young was initially charged with two offences under the National Security Act 2023.Mr Brocklehurst said he now faced further charges of misconduct in a public office and two counts of failing to comply with a notice, contrary to section 53 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (Ripa) 2000.The first charge alleges he engaged in conduct preparatory to the commission of an offence by “disclosing protected information” for a purpose which was “prejudicial to the safety or interests of the UK, intending the conduct to benefit a foreign power”.The second charge alleges he obtained or disclosed protected information between November 26 2024 and May 21 2025.Young is further charged with misconduct in a public office between February 15 2024 and March 25 2025.The charge states that while working as a rating in the Royal Navy, he “wilfully misconducted himself” by sending classified information to a personal email address, via WhatsApp and Discord, and retained classified information on personal devices.The two offences of failing to make a disclosure under Ripa powers related to a Sandisk USB and SD card.Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb set a timetable for the case with a plea hearing on March 12 and a provisional eight-week trial at the Old Bailey from October 8 before a High Court judge.Young was remanded into custody.