A British man who harbored fantasies of emulating James Bond has been sentenced to seven years in prison for attempting to spy for Russia. Howard Phillips, 65, was convicted in July for trying to pass sensitive information about former Defense Secretary Grant Shapps to individuals he believed were Russian intelligence agents. Unbeknownst to Phillips, these ‘agents’ were actually undercover British intelligence operatives.
At his sentencing hearing at Winchester Crown Court, Justice Bobbie Cheema-Grubb condemned Phillips, stating, ‘You were prepared to betray your country for money.’ The judge also noted that Phillips exhibited ‘a personality with narcissistic tendencies and an overblown sense of his own importance.’
The trial revealed that Phillips aimed to assist Russian agents between late 2023 and May 2024. During this period, Shapps served as Defense Secretary until the Conservative Party lost power in the general election, leading to his departure from Parliament. Phillips attempted to provide Shapps’ contact details and the location of his private plane, intending to facilitate Russian surveillance of British defense plans.
Phillips’ ex-wife testified that he was ‘infatuated’ with the idea of being like James Bond and frequently watched films about British secret services. In a victim impact statement, Shapps expressed his shock and dismay, recalling a dinner at Phillips’ home in 2002. ‘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,’ Shapps said.
Bethan David, head of the Crown Prosecution Service’s Counter Terrorism Division, emphasized that the conviction sends ‘a clear message to anyone considering spying for or assisting Russia.’