SAS TV star Ant Middleton accused of breaching navy confidentiality contract on podcast | EUROtoday

Television persona Ant Middleton is accused of breaching a confidentiality contract with the Ministry of Defence by sharing “extremely sensitive” particulars of his time within the particular forces on a podcast, the High Court has been informed.

The division claims that Mr Middleton, who beforehand offered Channel 4’s SAS: Who Dares Wins, breached the contract in an episode of the Mike Drop podcast printed on YouTube in July, titled “Exposing The Quiet Split Between UK And US Forces”.

Barristers for the MoD informed a listening to on Thursday that Mr Middleton signed an settlement upon becoming a member of the particular forces in 2008, which prevents him from disclosing details about the work of UK particular forces, even when the data is just not correct.

They efficiently requested a decide to situation a brief injunction pending the complete trial of the authorized declare, telling the listening to in London that the case involved a “serious, damaging breach” of the contract.

The courtroom heard that the MoD would neither affirm nor deny whether or not the statements made by Mr Middleton within the podcast have been correct, however that the division claims they’re lined by the contract regardless.

Mr Middleton, who represented himself on the listening to, denies breaching the settlement and opposed the non permanent injunction bid, telling the courtroom in London that he was not paid for the podcast and the authorized motion was “sudden, severe and disproportionate”.

In a ruling, Mr Justice Garnham mentioned that he had “no hesitation” in granting the non permanent injunction, stating that refusing to take action may trigger “significant harm” to UK particular forces.

Oliver Sanders KC, for the division, informed the listening to that Mr Middleton served within the particular forces from 2008 to 2011.

The confidentiality contract acknowledged that Mr Middleton would give a “solemn undertaking binding me for the rest of my life” that he wouldn’t disclose data regarding his particular forces service with out “express prior authority in writing” from the MoD.

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Mr Sanders mentioned that this was not restricted to data that was true, and that whereas Mr Middleton had “generally complied with his contract”, he had not sought or been given authorisation to reveal data on the Mike Drop podcast.

The episode, which lasted nearly 4 hours and has acquired greater than 147,000 views, included segments titled “final stages of SAS selection” and “red tape in Afghanistan and the breaking point”.

He mentioned: “It was disclosed without notice to the MoD, it was disclosed without authority, if authority had sought to have been disclosed, it would have been refused.

“It is extremely sensitive references to weapons, international partners, intelligence matters… all of that is very sensitive information and should not have been disclosed.”

Mr Sanders additionally mentioned that the MoD was taking authorized motion to “reassure partners that our personnel are not going to leave and spill the beans”.

Mr Middleton, a father-of-five who now lives within the United Arab Emirates, informed the courtroom that his navy service included excursions of Northern Ireland, Afghanistan and Sierra Leone.

He continued that disclosing data that would endanger troopers was “against everything I have ever known or stood for” and that the data he cited within the podcast was “easily obtained by internet search”.

He additionally mentioned that among the data cited got here from his time within the Royal Marines, which isn’t lined by the confidentiality contract.

He mentioned: “Despite multiple attempts by myself and my legal team to engage in constructive dialogue with the MoD, we have been met with what we feel is an unreasonable and aggressive approach.

“We have wanted to mediate at every single corner.”

He continued: “We remain unclear exactly on what specific allegations we are expected to defend.”

He added: “Without knowing the exact content in question, it is impossible to form an appropriate defence or even take corrective action.”

He additionally mentioned: “I have never placed my country, nor my fellow comrades, at risk.

“I believe the suggestion that I have revealed military secrets is truly shocking and unfounded.”

Mr Middleton additionally mentioned he had eliminated the podcast from his social media and that the host of the Mike Drop podcast, Mike Ritland, had additionally agreed to take away it.

The non permanent injunction will run till a full trial of the authorized declare, scheduled for March 3 subsequent 12 months, with the MoD searching for a everlasting injunction forcing Mr Middleton to stick to the phrases of the settlement.