British embassy guard spy David Smith has been sentenced to 13 years in prison after selling secrets to “enemy power” Putin

A British embassy guard has been sentenced to 13 years in prison after selling secrets to the Kremlin.

Putin fan David Smith, 58, spent three years collecting secret information at the Berlin embassy, ​​motivated by hatred of the West.

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A judge at the Old Bailey said Smith copied “a considerable amount” of material and was “paid by Russia for your treason.”

Judge Mark Wall also said Smith’s motive was to “damage British interests”.

He was caught following an undercover operation by MI5 in 2021.

Cops found a copy of a letter to the Prime Minister from two senior government ministers.

Smith had also provided details of the workers’ identities and activities.

Prosecutor Alison Morgan KC said he had “an extreme hatred of his job and of the UK in general”.

Scot Smith, from Paisley, claimed he had mental health issues and just wanted to embarrass the embassy.

Smith pleaded guilty to eight misdemeanors under the Official Secrets Act, including one charge related to leaking information to Berlin-based Russian military general Major Sergey Chukhrov in November 2020.

The other seven charges involved gathering information that could have been useful to Russia.

Four of these involved an MI5 officer posing as “Dmitry”, a Russian national allegedly pro-British.

Earlier this week, Smith told the court he was “disgusted with myself and ashamed of what I’ve done” and began collecting the confidential information during an argument with colleagues while he was suffering from depression.

He said he filmed the documents after drinking “seven pints of beer.”

He added, “It seemed like a good idea at the time.”

But he said he had not shared the documents with anyone because “it would knowingly harm Britain”.

During the sentencing hearing, Judge Mark Wall said: “Your mitigation rests solely on your past good character.

“The merit must be limited as the offense here was so extensive and so serious.

“Your regret is no more than self-pity.”

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