Contractor arrested under Official Secrets Act

A government contract worker has been arrested by counter terrorism police on suspicion of an offence under the Official Secrets Act.

The 65-year-old woman was last night in custody at a south London police station, although officers spent yesterday searching a home in north London as part of the investigation.

Further details about her, such as her name, were not disclosed by S015, the Met Police’s Counter Terrorism unit, other than the fact she is “contracted to carry out work” for a government department.

However, following an intelligence tip-off, the government contractor was arrested for an offence contrary to Section One of the Official Secrets Act, and detained under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act.

Section One of the Official Secrets Act outlines penalties for spying, where ‘spying’ can include entering a prohibited space, or making sketches, plans or models “intended to be directly or indirectly useful to an enemy” of the state.

28th September, 2017

Written by Simon Moore

Simon Moore is one of the UK’s most consistently published freelance journalists on freelancing, self-employment and contractor issues, such as IR35, the Loan Charge and late payment. Trained in News & Features writing by NCTJ-approved journalism tutors, Simon worked in the newsrooms of local, consumer and national press titles, before setting up his own editorial services company, Moore News Ltd.

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