Russian spies 'hired Brit to sabotage drone factory,' court hears
A British man prepared to sabotage a drone factory in the UK on behalf of Russia’s intelligence services, a court has heard.
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Joshua Cammidge allegedly researched four drone manufacturing sites in Swindon as well as a wifi jamming device and also carried out reconnaissance.
It is alleged he communicated with and received instructions from an individual believed to be linked to the GRU Volunteer Corps, a group controlled by Russia’s intelligence services.
The charges state that between March 27 and September 5 this year Cammidge provided the individual Google Maps screenshots showing the addresses of four drone manufacturing sites in Swindon and gave details on the activity at one particular factory.
The 31-year-old appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Thursday wearing a prison-issue tracksuit and was remanded in custody.
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Cammidge has been charged with assisting a foreign intelligence service and intending to commit or engage in conduct to prepare an act of sabotage.
He did not enter a plea during the hearing and the case was sent to the Old Bailey on September 25.
Cammidge, of Galsworthy Close, Swindon, was arrested by Counter Terrorism Policing London officers, supported by officers from Wiltshire Police, at an address in Swindon on Friday, the Metropolitan Police said.
He was taken to a London police station and searches were carried out at a different address in Swindon.
The next day, Cammidge was further arrested and detained under the National Security Act 2023, on suspicion of assisting a foreign intelligence service.
In July, the Government formally designated the GRU Volunteer Corps under the National Security (State Threats) Act 2026, making it a criminal offence to express support for the group.
The GRU is sanctioned in its entirety by the UK, and hackers linked to the agency have been blamed for cyber attacks in Britain.
A GRU squad is believed to be behind the attempted murder of former spy Sergei Skripal in Salisbury.