A sixth person has been charged with allegedly spying for Russia.

Bulgarian national Tihomir Ivanov Ivanchev is accused of “conspiring to collect information intended to be directly or indirectly useful to an enemy”, the Met Police said.

That information was allegedly collected with a “purpose prejudicial to the safety and interest of the state”, Scotland Yard added.

Ivanchev, who has been living in Acton, west London, has been remanded in custody and is due before Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

Read more:
Russia jails Nobel Peace Prize winner
Russians urged to protest on election day

The 37-year-old was arrested on 7 February as part of an ongoing investigation led by the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command.

He was bailed and then charged on Tuesday.

“A sixth suspect was identified and arrested as a result of enquiries made following the previous five arrests in this investigation, and working with the Crown Prosecution Service, a charge has now been brought,” said Commander Dominic Murphy, who leads the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command.

“Mr Ivanchev has the right to a fair trial, and we would therefore urge people not to publish anything – on social media or in news media – that creates a substantial risk of seriously prejudicing these active criminal proceedings.”

The other defendants – three men and two women – are accused of conspiring to gather information that would be useful to an enemy between August 2020 and February 2023 and have previously appeared at the Old Bailey.

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

They are Orlin Roussev, 46, Bizer Dzhambazov, 42, Katrin Ivanova, 32, Ivan Stoyanov, 32, and Vanya Gaberova, 29.

Their trial, which is expected to last four months, is due to begin in October.

Related posts:

Homes evacuated after house collapses in ‘explosion’ Man jailed after harassing woman in street and threatening to rape her Wayne Couzens handcuffed and arrested Sarah Everard before killing her, court hears Eleven Insulate Britain protesters arrested after blocking M25 for seventh time despite injunction Cute alert! First baby seals of the season spotted on Norfolk beach Russia’s next attack may be ‘more brutal’, RAF chief says Electric bike caused Bristol tower block fire which resulted in man’s death, investigators say Liz Truss had to be convinced to issue govt statement to calm markets after meeting with chancellor A Sky News presenter can now read you our articles – here’s how Man, 23, in court charged with murder Van gets stuck on beach as tide comes in Nearly 10,000 people evicted due to safety concerns since Grenfell