Royal Navy sailor under investigation for ’stealing secrets from nuclear submarine’

22 July 2024 , 17:42

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Marcus Gauntlett was held by military police on suspicion of breaking the Official Secrets Act at the nuclear sub base HMNB Clyde

A sailor in the Royal Navy has been accused of stealing secrets from a nuclear submarine.

Marcus Gauntlett, 36, was held by military police on suspicion of breaking the Official Secrets Act at the nuclear sub base HMNB Clyde in Faslane, Scotland.

Secret papers were allegedly found on his mobile phone while he was serving as a steward on a nuclear-armed Vanguard-class.

His phone was seized as part of a separate investigation, but investigators then came across the papers, The Sun reports.

Sailors are strictly forbidden from taking phones on submarines due to spying fears.

The Ministry of Defence said: ‘We can confirm that a member of the Armed Forces is under investigation.’ 

It is understood investigators have ruled out espionage.

Sailors are strictly forbidden from taking phones on submarines due to spying fears (Picture: AFP)

In 2012 a nuclear submariner was jailed for eight years after attempting to sell secrets to MI5 agents posing as Russian spies.

Edward Devenney was told he had betrayed his country and his colleagues.

The 30-year-old claimed he ‘wanted to hurt the Navy’ because he had been passed over for promotion.

Mr Justice Saunders said if the information he gathered had fallen into the wrong hands it was ‘capable of affecting the operational effectiveness of nuclear submarines’.

Thomas Brown