A former British soldier was convicted on Thursday for transmitting sensitive information to the Iranian intelligence agency, following an elaborate escape from a London prison that triggered an extensive search.

Daniel Khalife, aged 23, was found guilty at Woolwich Crown Court for breaching the UK’s Official Secrets Act by collecting intelligence beneficial to an adversary, specifically Iran. However, he was acquitted of the accusation of planting false explosives in his military base.

During the trial, prosecutors emphasized that Khalife engaged in a “cynical game,” excitedly asserting his desire to become a spy while simultaneously transferring a significant amount of restricted and classified information to Iran, including identities of special forces personnel.

Khalife contended in his defense that his communications with Iranian officials were part of an elaborate strategy to eventually act as a double-agent for the UK, a tactic he claimed to have inspired from the television series “Homeland.”

In a dramatic turn of events, Khalife managed to escape from a London jail in September 2023 while he awaited trial on espionage allegations. He remained at large for three days before being apprehended along a canal pathway.