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Alleged MI6 traitor also accused of betraying spies

Spy on our spy as he hunts their spy?

The former MI6 officer accused of trying to sell spying secrets is also now charged with trying to trade lists of British intelligence personnel, a court heard.

The new charge against 25-year-old Daniel Houghton was added at a hearing at Horseferry Road Magistrates' Court on Thursday.

Piers Arnold, for the prosecution, said Houghton had "unlawfully disclosed staff lists as a result of which people working for the intelligence services were put at risk by his actions which damaged operational capability", The Times reports.

The half-Dutch computer science graduate was arrested at a central London hotel on March 1, following a sting operation by MI5, which is responsible for counter-espionage.

He is also accused of accepting a briefcase containing £900,000 in exchange for USB sticks and a laptop hard drive containing MI5 and MI6 intelligence gathering techniques up to Top Secret level, the highest classification. He had allegedly sought £2m.

At an earlier hearing it was revealed that British security services acted on a tip-off from their Dutch counterparts. It is unclear which nation's intelligence service Houghton allegedly believed he was selling to.

Houghton has not yet entered a plea. He was remanded in custody until a further pre-trial hearing is scheduled for April 29.

An Old Bailey trial is scheduled for May 27. ®

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