A disgruntled British sailor who tried to pass military secrets to Russia because he was fed up with Britain's Royal Navy was jailed for eight years today.
Petty Officer Edward Devenney, 30, was caught in a sting operation in January as he tried to hand over classified information about British nuclear submarines to men he thought were Russian agents.
"The defendant was prepared to betray his country and his colleagues," Judge John Saunders said. "Those who serve their country loyally must know that those who don't will receive proper punishment."
Devenney, who had been in the Navy for 10 years, had not asked for anything in return for the information but said he was disillusioned after a missed promotion opportunity and wanted to "hurt the Royal Navy", the court heard.
The information, if passed on, could have led to the capture of the nuclear submarine HMS Vigilant's unique signature - the sound it makes as it passes through water - which could have resulted in it losing its capacity to go undetected.
Devenney, from Northern Ireland, had served on three of Britain's four Trident class nuclear submarines, a critical part of the country's nuclear deterrent, and had specialised in...
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