A 31-year-old British man, Joshua Cammidge, has been remanded in custody after being charged with assisting a foreign intelligence service and preparing an act of sabotage against a UK drone factory, allegedly on behalf of Russia. He appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court, did not enter a plea, and the case has been sent to the Old Bailey for a hearing later this month. The charges highlight ongoing concerns about Russian state-linked espionage and sabotage threats within Britain, particularly against defence-related manufacturing.

Prosecutors say that between 27 March and 5 September this year, Cammidge researched four drone manufacturing sites in Swindon, examined a Wi-Fi jamming device, carried out reconnaissance, and supplied Google Maps screenshots of the sites' addresses, allegedly under instruction from someone linked to the GRU Volunteer Corps, a group controlled by Russian intelligence and formally designated under the National Security (State Threats) Act 2026 in July. He was arrested in Swindon by Counter Terrorism Policing London with Wiltshire Police support, then further detained under the National Security Act on suspicion of assisting a foreign intelligence service. The Old Bailey hearing is scheduled for 25 September.