British Man Jailed for Spying: The Phillips Affair

Howard Phillips, a British man, was sentenced to seven years in prison for offering then-defence minister Grant Shapps' personal information to individuals he believed were Russian spies. Despite claiming he intended to expose foreign agents, Phillips was convicted under the National Security Act. Motivation was deemed financial rather than ideological.

In a dramatic turn of events, Howard Phillips, a 66-year-old British national, was sentenced to seven years in prison for conspiring with what he believed to be Russian spies.

Phillips offered the personal details of former Defence Minister Grant Shapps to undercover officers posing as Russian agents.

Despite Phillips' assertion that he was trying to trap foreign agents, the court convicted him, emphasizing his motive was financial gain, not ideology.

(With inputs from agencies.)