Ex-UK soldier jailed for 14 years for spying for Iran

Bobbie Cheema-Grubbjustice

The mere fact that you started on this dangerous and fantastical plan demonstrates your immaturity and lack of wisdom,

said Justice Bobbie Cheema-Grubb

Had he been a genuine spy, he would not have behaved as he did,

Hussain said

The greater mischief in your offending is that, having failed to engage any response from the intelligence services of the United Kingdom, you continued betraying your country and exposed others to the possibility of harm,

the judge said

When the tail lift raised it covered me entirely,

Khalife told jurors in court

He was friendly towards me. Quite jovial. He was pleasant. He congratulated me on catching him.”

Asked about his demeanour, the officer said

Whilst some element of what he was doing seems to be almost a fantasy that he had formed in his own head, the reality is he was having a very, very substantial impact. So he is, I think, the ultimate Walter Mitty character. The problem is, he's a Walter Mitty character that was having an extremely significant impact in the real world.”

Commander Dominic Murphy said

I shouted up, ‘Please don’t use that language,’ ... I get shouted at at work and when I get home I get shouted at.”

said the neighbour, adding

They kept themselves to themselves,

was a phrase that was repeatedly applied to the trio

We had no indication that he was that way inclined.”

Another local family was similarly shocked and surprised, with the father saying

I don’t think anyone really knew them,

said another woman

He was just an ordinary, normal teenager. When I saw him on the street he said ‘Hello’ and was polite. He’s a nice, sweet boy – I never thought he would do something like that.”

One woman – who lives on the road in Kingston, in southwest London, where Khalife, his twin sister and his mother lived for around a decade after moving from Marylebone, Westminster – said

From 9am to midnight, the three of them would watch TV all day – never socialise with us or mingle.”

He said

You passed information you had gathered to an enemy state', including when he was working in an international operation in America

The judge told him

There’s no way that what Mr Khalife did is going to wind up being a lesson for budding spies.”

Mr Hussain

I’m not going to let what happened define me.”

The hearing heard Khalife stated