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An IT expert employed on a contract basis by MI5 has been declared “not guilty by reason of insanity” after an Old Bailey jury examined his case. Juan Joseph, who worked for the Security Service from 2009 until 2020, held various technical roles including systems engineer and senior support engineer. However, in October 2020, he developed schizophrenia accompanied by paranoid delusions, which led to colleagues taking him to a London hospital for treatment and the termination of his contract.
While still struggling with his mental illness, Joseph disclosed sensitive intelligence information to a foreign government in November 2024. The judge overseeing the case, Mr Justice Hilliard, confirmed that the leaked material pertained to national security matters, though details about the country involved and the specific content disclosed were withheld from the public. The jury received this classified evidence in closed sessions and was prohibited from sharing any information regarding it.
In December 2024, Joseph traveled to Riga, Latvia, on an Air Baltic flight, where he contacted the embassy of the undisclosed foreign state, requested a meeting, and sent emails containing intelligence information. Following his return to the UK, he continued communications with the foreign country in January 2025. Having held the highest level of security clearance—“Developed Vetting”—Joseph had access to highly classified material and was also involved with another entity within the UK intelligence community. At the time of his arrest in January 2025, officers found a folding lock knife on him, which he claimed he was authorized to carry due to an ongoing MI5 role, and he possessed a fraudulent ID card identifying him as an MI5 “STRAP officer.”
Throughout the trial, Joseph’s legal defense did not dispute the facts of his intelligence disclosures, and three psychiatrists confirmed his diagnosis of schizophrenia, which the prosecution accepted. After less than two and a half hours of deliberation, the jury delivered verdicts of “not guilty by reason of insanity” on all charges, which included violations under the Official Secrets Act, the National Security Act, and possession of a knife.
Following the end of his contract in 2020, Joseph made numerous unsubstantiated claims against MI5, accusing the service of racism, rape, child abuse, and torture. The agency’s former head of HR, who gave testimony behind a screen for privacy reasons, revealed that Joseph had sent emails alleging serious crimes such as abduction, attempted assassination of a former director general, conspiracy to murder, and torture, none of which were proven. Joseph also attempted to pursue a private prosecution against MI5 for assault in August 2024, which was rejected by the magistrates’ court. After this, he sought judicial review and included the foreign state’s email in correspondence, initiating the series of unauthorized intelligence disclosures.
During police interviews following his apprehension, Joseph described himself as a “whistleblower” and claimed he had undergone self-defense training involving ninjutsu at MI5’s headquarters, Thames House. He also alleged that a swastika had been displayed in the office and that he was stabbed with a needle containing an unknown substance that contributed to his illness. He stated he suffers from hyperkinesia, which affects his heart’s pumping ability.
The week-long trial was unusual in that neither the prosecution nor the defense contested the facts regarding the intelligence leaks or Joseph’s mental health condition. Mr Justice Hilliard told the jury that all psychiatric experts agreed Joseph’s mental illness was so severe that he sincerely believed he was justified in his actions and did not recognize them as wrong. As only a jury can return a verdict of “not guilty by reason of insanity,” Joseph was found not criminally responsible and is set to continue his treatment at Broadmoor Hospital. The case is scheduled to return to court on 15 April. MI5’s former head of HR acknowledged the risks posed by Joseph’s mental instability given the sensitive nature of intelligence work, especially in the absence of proper support
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