§ There have been five completed cases where an offence under section 1 was charged since 1 January 1978.
§ In two of the cases the defendants were convicted of passing information to a foreign power. In another case two aliens were arrested on arrival in this country with equipment necessary for spying. They were also convicted under section 7 of the Official Secrets Act 1920. In these three cases sentences of imprisonment, ranging between seven and 35 years, were imposed on all the defendants.
§ In one case the prosecution withdrew the section 1 charge during the course of the trial but the accused were convicted under section 2 (see under 1978 above). In another case an offence under section 1 was charged by the police but the Attorney-General's fiat was never granted and the prosecution was withdrawn.
§ In one case a defendant was convicted of an offence under section 7 of the Official Secrets Act 1920 of attempting to commit an offence under section 1 and sentenced to four years.