Howard Phillips, who was caught by undercover British intelligence officers, was said to be 'an ageing man whose life had collapsed' after trying to sell Grant Shapps's personal information to pretend Russian spies

He apparently dreamed of emulating James Bond, but retired insolvency worker Howard Phillips has been left looking more like Walter Mitty.

The 66-year-old, described as a ‘fantasist’ by his own lawyer, was today jailed for seven years after trying to spy for Russia . Phillips, who offered personal info about ex-Defence Secretary Sir Grant Shapps , was told by a judge on Friday he had been “prepared to betray your country for money”.

It comes after the Brit, from Harlow, Essex, was convicted in July of attempting to spy for what he believed to be Russian intelligence servi

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