A 36-year-old member of the Armed Forces has appeared in court charged with disclosing secret information that could threaten the lives of military personnel serving overseas.

Thomas Newsome, a serving officer, was arrested and detained under the Official Secrets Act on Tuesday April 18, following an investigation by the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command.

He appeared before Westminster Magistrates Court on Saturday charged with making a “damaging disclosure of information relating to defence which was in his possession by virtue of his position as Crown Servant”.

Mr Newsome is also charged with having in his possession “documents which he failed to take such care of as to prevent the unauthorised disclosure of those documents”.

The 36-year-old, who appeared before District Judge Michael Snow, was dressed in a grey t-shirt and tracksuit trousers, with short hair and closely cropped beard.

‘Potential to cause a threat to UK citizens abroad’

Bridget Fitzpatrick, for the Crown Prosecution Service, explained the charges to the court, stating: “Mr Newsome has ongoing knowledge of sensitive material which has potential to cause a threat to UK citizens abroad.”

She added that if such material was disclosed “it would facilitate the targeting of military personnel on operations overseas”.

Mr Newsome, described in court as a serving officer who is based in the UK, was remanded in custody by the judge until Friday to give the Attorney General the opportunity to examine the case and decide whether to press ahead with the prosecution.

His address was not disclosed in open court on national security grounds.

District Judge Snow refused an application for bail.

He told the court the nature of the material Mr Newsome is charged with disclosing was “highly sensitive and if it entered the public domain the lives of British citizens would be at risk”.

‘Spurious’

As he left the dock to return to prison, Mr Newsome indicated that he would be denying the charges.

He had earlier described the charges in a written statement submitted during questioning as “spurious”.

Mr Newsome’s defence solicitor said he had cooperated fully with the authorities.

Mr Newsome was arrested by officers from the Metropolitan Police after returning from overseas deployment in an undisclosed country.

Following his arrest, a warrant of further detention was obtained from Westminster Magistrates’ Court on April 20, allowing police to detain him until April 22.

He was subsequently charged late on Friday April 21 with offences contrary to section 2 and section 8 of the Official Secrets Act, 1989.