MI5 “Agent X” Contempt of Court Ruling

In a judgment handed down 03 November 2026 the High Court has declined to initiate contempt proceedings against MI5, its Director General or any of its senior officers.

The judgment issued by the Lady Chief Justice, Dame Victoria Sharpe and Mr Justice Chamberlain related to a 2025 application by the Attorney General to obtain an injunction against the BBC to protect the identity of a covert human intelligence source known as “Agent X”. It later emerged that false evidence had been provided to the court in.

The court concluded that “even assuming contempts of court may have been committed, it would not be in the public interest to initiate contempt proceedings against any individual officer, against the Director General of MI5 or against MI5 itself”.

You can read more about the hearing here and the judgment here.

Matthew Butt KC appeared on behalf of Officer 2 who was the MI5 head of communications at the relevant time, leading Émilie Pottle of Temple Garden Chambers.

3rd November 2026