Able Seaman Teddy Young appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Thursday, the BBC reported. The court was told he allegedly retained UK defence and intelligence material he had access to and made preparations to disclose sensitive information.
The allegations against Young include translating a message into Russian and looking for a web portal that invited people to submit information to Russia, the BBC understands.
He is formally charged with engaging in conduct in preparation for disclosing protected information, and with obtaining, copying, recording or retaining protected information, intending the conduct to benefit a foreign power. The charges cover the period between 26 November 2024 and 21 May 2025.
Wearing a police-issue grey sweatshirt, Young spoke in court to confirm his name, date of birth and his address in Clapham, near Bedford.
"The allegation is that while serving as a Royal Navy warfare intelligence rating with high level security clearance and intelligence-system access, Teddy Stanley Greenidge Young accessed and retained sensitive UK defence and intelligence material and engaged in activity consistent with preparing to pass protected information to a foreign power," the Crown Prosecution Service told the court in a written summary of the allegations.
Police said the alleged offences were not related to the recent RAF Fairford incident, in which seven men were arrested and later released on bail after suspicious activity was reported near the base.