Army 'spy' jury considers verdict

Cpl James insists he remained a loyal British soldier

The jury in the Old Bailey trial of an army interpreter accused of spying for Iran is considering its verdict.

Cpl Daniel James, who was arrested in Afghanistan in 2006, claims secret documents found in his possession had been given to him for translation.

The 45-year-old also claims e-mails to the Iranian military attache in Kabul were aimed at brokering a gas deal.

Iranian-born Cpl James, from Brighton, denies collecting and communicating information useful to an enemy.

Prosecutors claim he was caught "red-handed" through secret e-mail communications with Iranian military attache Col Mohammad Heydari.

They said the defendant might have had divided loyalties because he was born in Iran and still had family and property there.

But Colin Nicholls QC, defending, has urged the jury not to jump to conclusions.

He suggested Cpl James was "just some strange, complex character who was carried away by his own ideas, with the best possible motives, got out of his depth, and has been seriously misunderstood".

The Territorial Army soldier had been working in Kabul for the head of the International Security Assistance Force (Isaf), General Sir David Richards.

He was arrested in December 2006 and charged under the Official Secrets Act.

He denies charges of collecting and communicating information useful to an enemy, as well as wilful misconduct in public office.