Old Bailey in the news again as high-profile cases land there—from fatal hit-and-runs to murder trials and espionage charges. The court’s the criminal hub in England/Wales.
On March 19, 2026, two men, Nematollah Shahsavani and Alireza Farasati, were charged in London under the UK's National Security Act for allegedly conducting hostile surveillance on Israeli and Jewish sites between July and August 2025. The suspects face accusations of spying on embassies, synagogues, and community centers on behalf of Iranian intelligence. Both remain in custody pending trial.
A UK court has found a Border Force officer and a Hong Kong trade official guilty of assisting a foreign intelligence service by spying on Hong Kong pro‑democracy figures and others in Britain. The nine‑week trial, which has marked a rare conviction for Chinese espionage on British soil, will lead to sentencing for the two men in due course.