British police charge Royal Navy sailor Teddy Young with spying for an unnamed foreign power

National Security Act charges

British counter-terrorism police charged Teddy Young, a 24-year-old serving member of the Royal Navy from Bedfordshire, with two offences under the National Security Act 2023. Young was remanded into custody ahead of an appearance at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London on Thursday. The charges span an alleged operational window running from 26 November 2024 to 21 May 2025. Detectives accuse Young under Section 18 of the statute of engaging in conduct in preparation for committing an offence of disclosing protected information. He additionally faces a charge under Section 1 of the same legislation for obtaining, copying, recording, or retaining protected material intended to benefit a foreign power. Prosecutors state that he knew, or ought reasonably to have known under the circumstances, that his actions were prejudicial to the safety or interests of the United Kingdom.

Arrest and Ministry of Defence cooperation

Counter-terror officers arrested Young at his home in Bedfordshire on Tuesday, though one dispatch reported the arrest took place on Wednesday. The action followed an earlier arrest of Young in Hampshire during 2025 as part of the same continuing inquiry. Following his detention at his Bedfordshire address, authorities transferred the serviceman to police custody in London for questioning and formal charging. Throughout the inquiry, detectives coordinated their procedures with military authorities to evaluate potential intelligence breaches across the armed services. Counter Terrorism Policing London and the Ministry of Defence worked jointly to establish protective barriers around sensitive naval systems. Commander Helen Flanagan, Head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, confirmed that the joint effort sought to neutralise security risks linked to the case.

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.

Case gravity and restrictions on speculation

Police leadership characterized the situation as an exceptionally serious development involving an active-duty military member. Helen Flanagan pointed to the gravity of the accusations when outlining the legal steps taken against the serving military member.

These are very serious charges against a serving member of the armed forces.

Flanagan advised the public to avoid commentary regarding the proceedings so the judicial process can advance through the courts without disruption. Detectives have not named the foreign country linked to the investigation or detailed the specific materials Young allegedly handled. The Metropolitan Police confirmed that the serviceman remains in detention following his transfer to London. He faces his initial appearance before Westminster Magistrates' Court to formally hear the indictment.

Separation from RAF Fairford investigation

The Metropolitan Police explicitly stated that the charges against Young bear no connection to a separate investigation into an incident at the RAF Fairford airbase. United States officials had previously stated that the RAF Fairford incident involved a potential Iranian drone attack. Counter-terrorism detectives arrested a 22-year-old British man earlier in the week in connection with that separate inquiry. Police confirmed that the inquiries remain entirely distinct, with no operational crossover between the naval espionage investigation and the airbase security response. Young remains held in custody ahead of magistrate proceedings, where prosecutors will formally present the two statutory counts.