The trial of two men accused of spying for China, including a former parliamentary aide to Conservative MP Alicia Kearns, was abruptly abandoned at the Old Bailey last Monday, leaving questions over the Crown Prosecution Service's (CPS) decision.
Christopher Cash, 30, a former researcher and director of the China Research Group, and Christopher Berry had been charged in April 2024 under the Official Secrets Act. The trial, expected to begin on 6 October at Woolwich Crown Court, was set to examine allegations that sensitive political information was passed from Westminster to a member of China's ruling politburo.
Kearns, who was a key witness, said she received no forewarning and was left frustrated by the collapse. 'Something is very amiss. If the Crown Prosecution Service has the evidence, why not put it in front of a jury and test it?' she told the Guardian. The CPS stated the case had been 'kept under continuous review' and that the 'evidential standard' was 'no longer met'.
Cash, who had maintained his innocence, described the last two and a half years as 'a nightmare'. His lawyer, John Armstrong, complained that his client had not been given an explanation for the dropped case. Cash had worked as an intern, researcher, and director of the China Research Group, a group of Beijing-sceptic Conservative MPs. He assisted Tom Tugendhat on China issues before moving to work with Kearns, who succeeded Tugendhat as chair of the group.
Kearns described Cash as 'very capable' and a Mandarin speaker who 'often described his love of China – but was always heavily critical of the Communist party'. She said he had no access to secret information but acknowledged he had insight into how parliament works. Cash's arrest in March 2023 remained secret until newspapers reported it in September of that year.
