A scathing parliamentary report has concluded that "serious systemic failures" in communication and coordination between the government and prosecutors caused the high-profile trial of two men accused of spying for China to collapse.
Case Collapse and Blame Game
The investigation by the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy (JCNSS) examined the case against former parliamentary researcher Christopher Cash and teacher Christopher Berry. The two British men were accused of passing secrets to Beijing between 2021 and 2023, charges they denied.
In September 2024, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) dropped the case, stating it could not obtain crucial evidence from the government. This prompted accusations of a "cover-up" against the Conservative administration, which was in power when the prosecution began in 2023.
The committee's report, published on Wednesday 3 December 2025, dismissed government claims that the collapse was a "one-off" caused by outdated espionage laws. It found the proceedings were beset by "confusion and misaligned expectations" from the outset.
Key Failures and the 'Threat' Wording
The inquiry identified a central point of failure: the refusal of deputy national security adviser Matt Collins to describe China as a generic "threat" to national security in his witness statements. Prosecutors argued this was essential under the century-old Official Secrets Act 1911.
Mr Collins, the expert prosecution witness, told investigators he had provided evidence of a range of threats posed by China but could not label it a generic threat as that was not the then-government's formal position.
The committee suggested that a "common sense" interpretation of his statements should have sufficed, but communications between the government and CPS were "inadequate" and lacked senior oversight.
While noting that "the sequence of some events has raised eyebrows," the cross-party group of MPs and peers found no evidence of a deliberate or coordinated attempt to block the prosecution.
Warnings for the Future and Recommendations
The report issued a stark warning that similar problems could recur under new legislation. "There are structural parallels in the National Security Act 2023 which will require careful handling to avoid comparable issues recurring," it stated.
To prevent future failures, the committee made key recommendations:
- The Cabinet Office and security services must work with the CPS to formalise principles for handling sensitive cases within six months.
- A new rule should establish a formal case "conference" within 30 days of such charges being brought to ensure clarity over evidence.
In response, a CPS spokesperson said decisions were made independently based on law and evidence and that they would review the recommendations. A government spokesperson welcomed the report's conclusion that allegations of interference were "baseless and untrue," reiterating that the decision to drop the case was taken independently by the CPS.
