Daniel Khalife: Boy soldier who thought he could be James Bond

He had constricted interaction with his Lebanese father, whom helium said was “not a bully man” and would “pop successful and out, bash immoderate harm and past leave”.

Speaking successful clipped tones successful the witnesser box, his accent was seemingly astatine likelihood with his communicative of increasing up successful a humble location successful a affluent area, excessively ashamed to invitation friends circular to his house.

The 23-year-old told the assemblage that friendships helium formed astatine Teddington School were “in essence, fake” and that his parent was “very, precise strict”, suggesting that her upbringing successful Iran had near her paranoid.

I deliberation helium astir apt enjoyed the thrill of deception throughout

Commander Dominic Murphy, Metropolitan Police

After a teenage dalliance with shoplifting – Khalife realised during a subject acquisition successful schoolhouse that almighty magnets could beryllium utilized to region information tags – his parent decided to instrumentality him to Iran for the archetypal time.

Travelling determination for a period astatine the property of 15, helium claimed helium hated the state and that the travel to the capital, Tehran, made him admit each helium had successful the UK.

Smartly dressed successful a achromatic garment with the sleeves rolled up and light-coloured trousers, helium told the assemblage helium was not world and did not similar schoolhouse – but that helium had yet passed 10 GCSEs.

As a kid helium was fascinated by planes, but did not prosecute an aboriginal imagination of becoming a aviator due to the fact that helium was acrophobic of heights, helium joked.

Instead helium was inspired by the show of the Household Cavalry Barracks successful Hyde Park, which helium thought was “amazing”.

In September 2018, 2 weeks earlier his 17th birthday, helium joined the British Army, completing his basal 23-week subject grooming astatine the Army Foundation College, astatine Harrogate, Yorkshire, finishing successful February 2019.

Joining up gave him his archetypal accidental to acquisition state and get distant from home, helium said, calling himself an English patriot who was arrogant to service his country.

The 6ft 2in enlistee decided to articulation the Royal Corps of Signals, a specializer portion which provides communications, IT and cyber enactment to the army.

In March 2019, Khalife – holding the lowest fertile of signaller – moved connected to his specializer Phase 2 grooming astatine the Defence School of Communication and Information Systems astatine Blandford Forum successful Dorset.

He underwent and passed information clearance, giving him entree to secret, oregon adjacent above, delicate information.

Around this time, helium claimed during his trial, a unit commandant warned him that his Iranian practice could halt him being capable to enactment successful subject intelligence.

So, astatine the property of conscionable 17, Khalife said helium decided to beryllium his bosses incorrect and made his archetypal interaction with Iran successful the anticipation of yet moving arsenic a treble agent.

The worker completed his year-long specializer grooming successful aboriginal 2020, and was posted to the 16th Signal Regiment successful Stafford.

He was sent to the US for a abbreviated stint successful 2021, posted to Fort Cavazos (then called Fort Hood) successful Texas from February to April that year.

All the portion helium remained successful interaction with his Iranian handlers.

Khalife claimed that helium wanted to flush retired Iranian spies moving successful the UK, but did not negociate to stitchery immoderate grounds against them.

“I was reasoning I could beryllium James Bond oregon something, similar an idiot,” helium told his trial.

Khalife created and passed connected fake documents purporting to beryllium from MPs, elder subject officials and the information services, but besides sent genuine service doctrine notes.

Jurors besides heard however helium covertly gathered the forenames of work personnel, including those successful peculiar forces, by logging connected to an interior HR strategy for booking leave.

Messages showed helium told his Iranian handlers helium would enactment successful the subject for 25-plus years, stealing accusation to order, portion helium besides contacted MI5 and MI6 to tout his services.

Ultimately the connection was not taken up – MI5 reported him to constabulary and helium was arrested successful January 2022.

A twelvemonth later, helium realised helium was facing superior transgression charges and fled his barracks.

He spent the adjacent 3 weeks “trying not to frost to death” portion surviving successful a van successful a adjacent municipality utilizing fig plates from different vehicle, some of which helium had stolen from the barracks.

Later, Khalife’s cunning came to the fore again, with his audacious flight from HMP Wandsworth strapped to the underside of a nutrient transportation motortruck successful September 2023.

He made 1 last effort to interaction the Iranians portion connected the run, sending a Telegram connection which said simply: “I wait.”

He managed 3 days connected the tally earlier helium was caught connected a canal towpath by a plain apparel detective, whom helium congratulated for catching him.

Concern helium would effort a akin stunt during his proceedings was truthful precocious that during his evidence, helium was brought to and from the witnesser container successful handcuffs.

After his conviction, helium was described by constabulary arsenic the “ultimate Walter Mitty quality that was having a important interaction connected the existent world”.

“Ego is simply a factor, I’ve got nary uncertainty he’s got an uncanny quality to manipulate others,” Dominic Murphy, caput of the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command said.

“I deliberation helium astir apt enjoyed the thrill of deception throughout.”