Royal Navy Sailor Teddy Young, 24, Charged With Spying for Unnamed Foreign Power

Q: Which unnamed foreign power was this 24-year-old Royal Navy sailor secretly aiding with highly classified UK defense secrets?

It has not been publicly identified. Police, prosecutors and the Royal Navy have all referred only to an “unnamed foreign power,” and no credible official source in the material provided names the country. The known facts are limited to the charges against Teddy Young, 24, under the UK National Security Act. Investigators allege that between 26 November 2024 and 21 May 2025 he obtained, copied, recorded or retained protected information and prepared to disclose it in a way intended to benefit a foreign power, while knowing or having reason to know it could harm the UK’s safety or interests. Some of the surrounding reporting mentions broader UK concerns about hostile-state activity, including separate scrutiny of Iran in the RAF Fairford investigation and wider warnings about Chinese espionage. But police explicitly said Young’s case is not connected to the RAF Fairford incident, and none of that establishes which state he was allegedly aiding. So the accurate answer is that the foreign power remains undisclosed at this stage, likely because of the live criminal proceedings and national security sensitivities.

3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Oct 8

Teddy Young, a 24-year-old Royal Navy service member from Bedfordshire, was charged under the National Security Act and remanded in custody ahead of a Thursday court appearance in London.
Police allege Young obtained, copied, recorded or retained protected information to benefit an unnamed foreign power, in conduct they say was prejudicial to UK safety or interests.
The charges cover the period from Nov. 26, 2024, to May 21, 2025, and also include preparing to commit an offense by disclosing protected information.
Counter-terrorism police arrested Young at his home on Tuesday and said investigators worked closely with the Ministry of Defence to mitigate any potential risks.
Police said the case is unrelated to the recent RAF Fairford incident, while the Royal Navy declined further comment because legal proceedings are ongoing.