Sir Keir Starmer has finally published 18 pages of evidence connected with a now-collapsed case of alleged Chinese espionage.

The evidence included witness statements provided to prosecutors by deputy national security adviser Matthew Collins.

Mr Collins submitted one witness statement to prosecutors in 2023, with another two statements being filed earlier this year.

The witness statements were handed over in connection with the case against Christopher Cash and Christopher Berry.

Mr Cash and Mr Berry, who both deny any wrongdoing, had been accused of passing secrets from Westminster to Beijing.

However, the Crown Prosecution Service unexpectedly dropped charges against the two men last month.

The director of public prosecutions claimed the case collapsed because evidence could not be obtained from the Government which referred to China as a national security threat.

However, concluding one witness statement, Mr Collins wrote: “For the reasons given above, it is my assessment that the suspects’ alleged activities were prejudicial to the safety or interests of the UK, and the information and material passed would be directly or indirectly useful to the Chinese state.”

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