Iranian spy jurors are discharged

Daniel James (left) faced three counts against him

The jury which convicted Iranian-born Army interpreter Daniel James of spying has been discharged after failing to reach verdicts on two other charges.

James translated for General David Richards, who was the head of multi-national forces in Afghanistan.

The 45-year-old from Brighton was found guilty of communicating information to an enemy.

Jurors failed to agree on charges of collecting documents useful to an enemy and wilful misconduct in public office.

They were discharged by Mr Justice Roderick Evans.

Prosecutors will now consult Attorney General Baroness Scotland on whether they should seek a re-trial.

'Height of betrayal'

Senior intelligence officers believed that if he had not been arrested his actions could ultimately have cost the lives of UK soldiers and even endangered the security of Britain itself.

Prosecutor Mark Dennis QC said it was "the height of betrayal".

After joining the Territorial Army he was sent to Afghanistan in May 2006, where he worked for Gen David Richards, who has since become head of the British Army.

James was arrested in December 2006, just two months after he had made contact with Colonel Mohammad Hossein Heydari, an Iranian military assistant based at Tehran's embassy in Kabul.

But jurors were told he was arrested before he could become a fully-fledged agent.