Daniel Khalife sentenced for spying offences

Daniel Khalife, a former soldier who sparked a manhunt after escaping from prison, has been sentenced for spying offences.

Khalife was sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court to a total of 14 years and three months’ imprisonment for espionage and terrorism offences. He had previously been convicted of these offences in November 2024, after a trial.

An investigation was launched in November 2021, after Khalife anonymously contacted MI5 twice in a month to say that he had established contact with Iranian agents and wanted to become a ‘double agent’.

Khalifa was identified as the person behind the calls after details were passed to the police.

Khalife, a soldier in the army, was arrested in January 2022, and police seized various devices and documents from his room at Staffordshire Barracks. It was found that Khalife was in possession of various sensitive documents and information – including details of soldiers who were attached to highly sensitive military units. There was also evidence that Khalife had made contact with Iranian agents and had passed sensitive military information to them over the preceding two-and-a-half years.

He was initially due to be charged in January 2023, but he was reported missing by his army unit. A potential improvised explosive device was found in his room, alongside a note that said he feared he was going to be charged when he returned on bail.

Khalife was arrested at a Leisure Centre in Staffordshire and was charged.

In September 2023, Khalife escaped from HMP Wandsworth while awaiting trial. He was found and arrested after three days.

During his trial, Khalife pleaded guilty to escaping from HMP Wandsworth. He was subsequently found guilty of passing on information to Iran, contrary to section 1 of the Official Secrets Act 1911. For the latter, he was sentenced to six years imprisonment.

Khalife was also found guilty of eliciting or attempted to elicit information of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism, contrary to section 58A of the Terrorism Act 2000. For this, he was sentenced to six years’ consecutive (consisting of five years custodial, with an additional year on licence).

He was also sentenced to two years and three months’ imprisonment for escaping prison. His total sentence amounts to 14 years and three months. He will also be subject to notification requirements under part 4 of the Counter Terrorism Act, 2008 for 15 years.

He was found not guilty by the jury of creating a bomb hoax at the Army barracks in Staffordshire.

Commander Dominic Murphy, Head of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command said: “This sentence reflects the gravity of the offences committed by Khalife. The threat to the UK from states such as Iran is very serious, so for a soldier in the Army to be sharing sensitive military material and information with them is extremely reckless and dangerous.

“I’d like to reiterate my praise to all those who worked on this investigation – those who looked into Khalife’s activity in sharing information with the Iranians, but also the many colleagues from agencies and police forces who assisted us after his escape from prison.

 “It was thanks to a combination of fantastic support from the public, along with some brilliant police work that we were able to find and arrest Khalife after his escape and make sure he faced justice.

 “This outcome and sentence should serve as a warning to others that the illegal sharing of information in this way will be treated extremely seriously by security services and police, and we will use the full force of the law against those who put the UK’s security at risk.”