Howard Phillips, a 66-year-old man from Harlow, Essex, who once dreamed of living the life of a secret agent, has been sentenced to seven years in prison for attempting to spy for what he believed were Russian intelligence agents. The story, which unfolded at Winchester Crown Court on November 7, 2025, reads less like the glamorous world of James Bond and more like a cautionary tale about fantasy colliding with reality—and the serious consequences that can follow.
According to BBC and AP News, Phillips was found guilty in July 2025 under the National Security Act for assisting a foreign intelligence service. The conviction stemmed from his efforts between late 2023 and May 2024, when he tried to pass sensitive information about former Defence Secretary Sir Grant Shapps to two individuals he believed were Russian spies. In reality, these supposed agents—known to Phillips as "Sasha" and "Dima"—were undercover British intelligence officers.
The court heard that Phillips, motivated by financial desperation after running out of retirement savings, offered to provide Shapps’ contact details and the location of his private plane. This information, prosecutors argued, could have enabled Russian operatives to eavesdrop on British defense plans. As Jocelyn Ledward KC, prosecuting, stated, Phillips was “motivated by money to offer a concierge service” to the agents, promising his “100% loyalty and dedication.”
During sentencing, Justice Bobbie Cheema-Grubb did not mince words. Addressing Phillips directly, she declared, “You were prepared to betray your country for money.” She characterized Phillips as an intelligent man with “narcissistic tendencies and an overblown sense of his own importance,” adding that he “took a grave risk and didn’t care what damage you caused.” The judge was clear that Phillips was not ideologically driven, but rather lured by the hope of financial gain. “Through the deliberate work of the security services you were caught before providing material assistance to a foreign intelligence service so the danger was averted.”
Phillips’ personal life and motivations were scrutinized in court. His ex-wife, Amanda Phillips, testified that he “would dream about being like James Bond,” often watching films about MI5 and MI6 and becoming “infatuated” with the world of espionage. Defense attorney Jeremy Dein KC described Phillips as “eccentric,” “zany,” and a “fantasist,” noting that he was “proudly British, pro-western, proudly Jewish.” Dein painted a picture of a man whose life had unraveled, stating, “This was an ageing man whose life had collapsed, who was clearly not thinking straight and was desperate for money. He had been living in his car at one stage and everything was out of sync with the hard-working and dedicated life he had lived.”
Phillips himself claimed that he had contacted the Russian embassy in early 2024 not to betray the United Kingdom, but to expose Russian agents in order to assist Israel. He told jurors he had realized “from the onset” that “Dima” and “Sasha” were “definitely not Russian” and were undercover individuals, but that he continued “playing a role” to “test the waters.” Still, the jury found his explanations unconvincing, especially given the seriousness of the information he offered and his willingness to help with travel logistics and hotel bookings for the supposed agents.
The impact of Phillips’ actions was felt most acutely by Sir Grant Shapps, who served as Defence Secretary from August 2023 to July 2024. In a victim impact statement read to the court, Shapps expressed his “shock” and deep concern for his family’s safety. He recalled having dinner at Phillips’ home in 2002 and described the betrayal as a “complete breach of trust.” Shapps stated, “He chose to take whatever information he had and attempted to sell it to a foreign intelligence service thereby, wantonly, putting myself, my family and ultimately the country at risk. My personal details provided by Mr Phillips are extremely sensitive and again I would say that any disclosure places myself and my family at a very real and serious risk. What is unacceptable is one individual’s reckless behavior exposing my entire family to the extremely serious risks that come from a foreign intelligence service’s activities. The UK has enough to do dealing with external threats, it’s shocking to find that someone in the neighbourhood would think it a good idea to try to sell information about the UK defence secretary to an unfriendly foreign state.”
Throughout the trial, prosecutors emphasized that Phillips was not motivated by ideology or political beliefs, but by the lure of money. Jocelyn Ledward KC highlighted that Phillips had lived well beyond his means, made no provision for retirement, and was reliant on the generosity of others even for basic housing. “He accepted he did all that in the knowledge of the type of activity carried out by the agents of the Russian intelligence service on UK soil in the past including assassination and attempted assassination,” Ledward told the court.
Authorities involved in the case did not shy away from warning others who might be tempted by similar fantasies. Commander Dominic Murphy, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, stated, “This case demonstrates the serious consequences for anyone who thinks working on behalf of the Russian intelligence service is a way of earning easy money. The truth is, those who work as ‘proxies’ for Russia are unlikely to receive a large cash windfall. In fact, there is a strong likelihood they won’t be given any money at all. However, what they are doing is risking their liberty for a long period of time. As this case shows, those convicted under the National Security Act can expect to receive lengthy prison sentences.”
Bethan David, head of the Crown Prosecution Service’s Counter Terrorism Division, echoed this message, saying, “This conviction sends a clear message to anyone considering spying for or assisting Russia. Howard Phillips clearly outlined the services he was willing to provide for a hostile state. From gaining employment within the Civil Service and applying for security clearance, to providing the personal details of the Secretary of State for Defence – Phillips was brazen in his pursuit for financial gain, and unbothered about the potential detriment to his own country.”
The case of Howard Phillips serves as a sobering reminder that the world of espionage is far removed from the silver screen. For those who let fantasy override loyalty and common sense, the consequences can be both swift and severe—no matter how ordinary their lives may have once seemed.