LONDON—A former Conservative Party parliamentary researcher and another man accused of spying for China will not face trial until “spring or summer” of 2025.
Christopher Cash, 29, and Christopher Berry, 32, made their first appearance at the Central Criminal Court in London—better known as the Old Bailey—on Friday.
The pair, who are both on bail, sat in the well of the court as the judge, Mr. Justice Jeremy Baker, carried out an administrative hearing.
Prosecutor Tom Little, KC said both were charged with “a single offence of spying on behalf of a foreign power.”
The allegation is that between Jan. 20, 2022 and Feb. 2, 2023, Mr. Cash “for a purpose prejudicial to the safety or interests of the State, obtained, collected, recorded, published, or communicated to any other person articles, notes, documents or information, which were calculated to be, might be, or were intended to be, directly or indirectly, useful to an enemy.”
That is an offence contrary to section 1(1)(c) of the Official Secrets Act 1911.
Mr. Berry was charged with the same offence but in his case the dates are between Dec. 28, 2021 and Feb. 3, 2023.
The Metropolitan Police previously said, “The foreign state to which the above charges relate is China.”
Mr. Justice Baker told the pair—who both appeared in court wearing dark blue suits—they would be released on conditional bail until a hearing on Oct. 4.
He said he was unable to set a trial date at this stage but said he told them it was “likely to be in the spring or summer of next year.”
Both men are on conditional bail.
Last month Nick Price, the head of the Crown Prosecution Service’s Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, warned the press and members of the public: “Criminal proceedings against the defendants are active. No one should report, comment or share information online which could in any way prejudice their right to a fair trial.”
