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A Royal Navy petty officer was jailed for eight years today for trying to pass Britain's nuclear submarine secrets to men he believed to be Russian spies - but who were actually MI5 officers.
Edward Devenney, 30, who had worked for the Navy for 11 and a half years, was told he had betrayed his country and his colleagues when he met two men in January with secret documents.
The court heard that Devenney, who had been a communications engineer on nuclear sub HMS Vigilant, rang the Russian Embassy in November last year after what he said was a 12-hour drinking binge.
Devenney, from Northern Ireland, said he had been disillusioned with the Royal Navy because his promotion hopes had been dashed through defence cuts.
But he was drinking heavily, had bouts of depression and had just been cleared of a rape charge.
He asked for his training course for promotion to be deferred for a year but his absences without leave and conduct had led to a warning that he would be sacked if his behaviour continued, the court heard.
Two days after the phone call, he managed to get into a locked safe on board HMS Vigilant and take three photographs of part of a secret code for encrypted information on his mobile phone.
It was only through the vigilance of MI5 officers who mounted a sting operation where they pretended to be Russian spies that national security was not harmed, said Mark Dennis QC, prosecuting.
In an exchange of text messages, Devenney had told one of the fake spies: 'I am disillusioned by my employers and I feel let down by them. Think we can help each other,' the court heard.
He also texted: 'I am in the royal Navy and I am a bit p***** off with them at the moment.'
Devenney pleaded guilty to breaching the Official Secrets Act by gathering classified information and misconduct by meeting the supposed spies.
The officer worked in the 'highly sensitive' communication centre of nuclear submarines, and had served on three of the four Trident vessels in the fleet.
After his arrest, he had been questioned about his motives.
Mr Dennis said: 'He explained that he was disenchanted with his work and he wanted to hurt the Royal Navy.'
It had been explained to Devenney that the two men, known to him as Demitri and Vladimir, who he met at the British Museum and who took him to a Bloomsbury hotel, were not Russians.
Mr Dennis added: 'The highly secret information was therefore contained.
'Although the actual damage caused proved to be minimal, that was not due to the defendant but to the skilful work of the secret service.'
Mr Justice Saunders, sentencing him at the Old Bailey, said Devenney knew what he was doing when he met the two men in January.
Mr Justice Saunders added: 'He did supply details of movements and operations carried out and to be carried out by nuclear submarines.
'I am satisfied that in the wrong hands it was capable of affecting the operational effectiveness of nuclear submarines.
'This is a very serious case. The defendant was prepared to betray his country and his colleagues.'
Outside court, solicitor Richard Cannon read a statement on behalf of Devenney which said: “I am deeply sorry for the hurt and shame that I have brought on my family and loved ones.
'Prior to these events I gave the Royal Navy 11 and a half years of service and I deeply regret my actions and the effect they have had on the Submarine Service and colleagues.'
Mari Reid, unit head for the CPS counter-terrorism division, said: 'This was a classic story of betrayal.
'Edward Devenney was employed by the Royal Navy to protect this country from potential threats to our security. Instead, he pursued a course of conduct likely to put his country at risk.
'We rely on the men and women of our armed forces to keep us safe. It is hard to imagine a greater breach of that role than Devenney’s actions.'
The judge said: 'The photographs could, with other information, have led to the breaking of the code.'
He added: 'The defendant made determined efforts to enter into an agreement to supply secret information to representatives of another country.
'The reason he later gave for his actions was that he wished to get his own back on the Royal Navy who he considered had treated him badly.'
But the judge added: 'The objective evidence is that the Royal Navy treated him well.'
Lord Carlile, for Devenney, read out a statement from him which said: 'I would like to apologise for the shame I brought on the Royal Navy.'
He said Devenney had been 'something of a blue-eyed boy' until things began to go awry.
The rape allegation led to a general collapse in Devenney’s behaviour.
Dailymail.co.uk
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