Man charged under official secrets act

A serving member of the UK's Armed Forces has been charged with offences under the Official Secrets Act, following an investigation by the Met's Counter Terrorism Command.

Thomas Newsome was initially arrested and detained under PACE on Tuesday 18 April. On Friday 21 April 2023, he was charged with offences contrary to section 2 and section 8 of the Official Secrets Act, 1989.

Newsome appeared in court at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Saturday charged with two offences under the Official Secrets Act.

According to the BBC, he was deployed overseas until April 17, when he made a "damaging disclosure of information relating to defence".

It is alleged he shared a 10-page document with two senior officers who had clearance to view it, and a civilian who did not have clearance. It is alleged he took photographs of the document and sent them by social media.

He is also accused of possessing other secret information on a USB stick.

Newsome will appear again at Westminster Magistrates' Court on 28 April, having not been granted bail.

GrimsbyT, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons