Young appeared in court on Thursday wearing a grey police-issue sweatshirt and spoke to confirm his personal details

A junior Royal Navy sailor accused of preparing to spy for Russia has appeared in court.

Able Seaman Teddy Young, who specialised in warfare intelligence, allegedly retained UK defence and intelligence material that he had access to and made preparations to disclose sensitive information, a court was told.

The 24-year-old appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Thursday after being charged under the National Security Act.

The BBC understands that the allegations against Young include translating a message into Russian and looking for a web portal that invited people to submit information to Russia.

Wearing a police-issue grey sweatshirt, Young spoke in court to confirm his name, date of birth and his address in Clapham, near Bedford.

He is formally charged with engaging in conduct in preparation for disclosing protected information, and obtaining, copying, recording or retaining protected information, intending the conduct to benefit a foreign power.

The charges cover a period between 26 November 2024 and 21 May 2025.

"The allegation is that while serving as a Royal Navy warfare intelligence rating with high level security clearance and intelligence-system access, Teddy Stanley Greenidge Young accessed and retained sensitive UK defence and intelligence material and engaged in activity consistent with preparing to pass protected information to a foreign power," the Crown Prosecution Service told the court in a written summary of the allegations.

Police said the alleged offences were not related to the recent RAF Fairford incident that resulted in a number of arrests after suspicious activity was reported near the base.

In total, seven men have been arrested and later released on bail in connection with the incident, which is being investigated by counter-terror police.

Young was arrested at his home address in Bedfordshire on Tuesday.

He is the first member of the armed forces to be charged under the new National Security Act 2023.

Cdr Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, said: "These are very serious charges against a serving member of the armed forces.

"We have worked extremely closely with relevant operational colleagues within the Ministry of Defence as our investigation has progressed to ensure appropriate measures could be taken to mitigate any potential risks linked to this matter."

A Royal Navy spokesperson confirmed a service member had been charged and added: "As legal proceedings are ongoing, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage."

Judge Annabel Pilling remanded Young in custody. He will next appear at the Old Bailey on 16 October.