UK Royal Navy Sailor Charged With Obtaining Protected Information To Benefit Foreign Power

A serving member of the Royal Navy has been charged under Britain’s National Security Act over allegations that he obtained protected information and prepared to disclose it for the benefit of a foreign power, police said on Thursday.

Teddy Young, 24, faces two charges and is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London. Counter Terrorism Policing London said the alleged offences involved obtaining, copying, recording or retaining protected information with the intention of benefiting a foreign power. The identity of the foreign power has not been disclosed.

Police said Young was arrested at his home in Bedfordshire on Tuesday and subsequently taken into custody in London. The charges relate to alleged conduct during a period spanning late 2024 to May 2025, according to police and court-related reporting.

Royal Navy Member Faces Two National Security Charges

The case is being investigated by Counter Terrorism Policing London, which said it had worked closely with the Ministry of Defence during the investigation.

Commander Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, described the charges as serious, given that Young is a serving member of the armed forces. She said investigators had worked with operational colleagues in the Ministry of Defence to ensure measures could be taken to mitigate any risks associated with the case.

The charges concern alleged offences under the National Security Act 2023 involving protected information. The legislation criminalises obtaining or disclosing protected information where the required national-security conditions are met.

Young has not been convicted of any offence. The allegations will now be tested through the UK judicial process.

Police Say Case Unrelated To RAF Fairford Investigation

Authorities have stressed that the investigation involving Young is separate from a recent security probe linked to RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire.

The Fairford investigation began after three suspicious vans were stopped near the airbase on September 27. US officials have said the incident may have involved a potential Iranian drone attack. Several people have been arrested as part of that separate investigation.

Police said there is no connection between the Fairford investigation and the charges against Young. The distinction is significant as both cases involve national-security concerns and come amid heightened security scrutiny in Britain.

Young’s case is expected to move through the courts following his appearance at Westminster Magistrates’ Court. Police have urged against further speculation while proceedings are under way, according to media reports.