Ex-Government worker denies risking national security by allegedly taking top secret data home

A former employee of a 'sensitive Government organisation' appeared in court today to deny risking damaging national security by taking top secret data home.

Hasaan Arshad, 23, from Rochdale, is charged with an offence under the Computer Misuse Act after an investigation led by the Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Command.

On Friday, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the offence during a hearing at the Old Bailey before Mr Justice Jeremy Baker. The senior judge confirmed Arshad's trial would take place at the Old Bailey from June 24 next year.

The defendant, who wore a dark jacket, had appeared at the court by video link and sat next to his barrister Sean Smith. Arshad was granted continued bail with various conditions, the PA news agency reports.

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The defendant was arrested and his home was searched on September 22 last year. He was charged under Section 3ZA of the Computer Misuse Act 1990, relating to “unauthorised acts causing, or creating risk of, serious damage”.

The charge states: “Between August 23 2022 and September 23 2022 (he) did an unauthorised act in relation to a computer and at the time of doing the act knew that it was unauthorised; and the act caused, or created a significant risk of a material kind, this being damage to the national security of a country; and he intended by doing the act to cause serious damage of a material kind or was reckless as to whether such damage was caused.”

Prosecutors allege Arshad, before leaving work last August 24, took his work mobile phone into a top