China spy row: Edinburgh-born parliamentary researcher Christopher Cash accused of spying for China granted conditional bail
Edinburgh-born former parliamentary researcher Christopher Cash has been granted conditional bail at Westminster Magistrates’ Court after being charged with spying for China – on the condition he does not contact MPs or enter the UK Parliament.
Cash, 29, a former political researcher, appeared at Westminster Magistrate’s Court on Friday morning. A second man, Christopher Berry, 32, appeared on the same charges.
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Hide AdChief Magistrate Paul Goldspring granted both men conditional bail, which in Cash’s case included direction not to contact MPs or to enter the parliamentary estate.
Originally from Edinburgh, Cash, who attended George Watson’s College, was director of a policy group on Beijing co-founded by UK security minister Tom Tugendhat. He was also employed as a researcher by Alicia Kearns, chairwoman of the Commons foreign affairs committee.
Neither were required to enter any pleas to the charge and spoke only to confirm their name and address during a short hearing.
Cash, whose address is listed in official documents as Whitechapel, London, was told he was permitted to contact his local MP on constituency matters. The pair were charged on Monday and released on bail.
Cash was arrested in Edinburgh last year and has now been charged with obtaining or communicating information “useful to an enemy”, which authorities confirmed was China. Berry was also arrested last year.
A case file was passed to the Crown Prosecution Service for consideration late last year after the men’s initial arrest.
Both defendants will next appear at the Old Bailey on May 10 for a preliminary hearing.