Christopher Cash: Scottish parliamentary researcher charged with spying for China to appear in court today

The pair will appear in court in London
Jane Bradley
By Jane Bradley
Published 26th Apr 2024, 08:50 BST
Updated 26th Apr 2024, 08:51 BST

A Scottish man has been charged with spying for China while employed as a researcher at Westminster is to appear in court today.

Cash, 29, whose address is listed in official documents as Whitechapel, London, will appear at Westminster Magistrate’s Court at 10am.

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A second man, Christopher Berry, will also appear on the same charges. The pair were charged on Monday and released on bail.

Christopher Cash was a researcher for Alicia Kearns, chairwoman of the Commons foreign affairs committee. Picture: Getty ImagesChristopher Cash was a researcher for Alicia Kearns, chairwoman of the Commons foreign affairs committee. Picture: Getty Images
Christopher Cash was a researcher for Alicia Kearns, chairwoman of the Commons foreign affairs committee. Picture: Getty Images

Cash, 29, who grew up in Edinburgh and attended George Watson’s College, was director of a policy group on Beijing co-founded by security minister Tom Tugendhat. He was also employed as a researcher by Alicia Kearns, chairwoman of the Commons foreign affairs committee.

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Cash was arrested in Edinburgh last year and has now been charged with obtaining or communicating information “useful to an enemy”, which authorities confirmed was China. Berry, 32, was also arrested last year.

A case file was passed to the Crown Prosecution Service for consideration late last year after the men’s initial arrest.