Ex-soldier was inspired to become double agent after watching Netflix thriller Homeland, trial hears

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A former soldier accused of escaping from prison devised an elaborate double-agent plot after watching the Netflix spy thriller Homeland, a trial heard.

Daniel Khalife, 23, is alleged to have escaped from HMP Wandsworth by tying himself to the underside of a food delivery lorry using bedsheets in September last year.

Prosecutors say Khalife prepared a bomb hoax to delay the search for him.

He admitted making a device that was found in his room after he absconded from jail, but denied wanting those who found it to believe it was a real bomb, jurors heard.

A female character in the American series Homeland faked defection to Iran.

“I had seen one of the characters had falsely defected to a particular country and utilised this position,” Khalife told Woolwich Crown Court.

The former soldier said he was embarrassed about the plot looking back now.

“If I was a real spy, it wouldn’t have been difficult to defect,” he said.

A note was left near the device that read: “You can say with certainty that you will go to prison for a very long time. Your options are suicide or absconding.”

It went on: “Once in Iran you can manage life again and travel to interesting places freely.”

Khalife, who is also charged with passing on sensitive information that may be useful to an enemy, told the court the note was intended to convince police to launch a manhunt for him, which might convince Iran of his loyalty and allow him to continue working as a double agent.

“I wanted to continue to help our country,” he said. “I am the antithesis of these charges. I was never a real spy.

“I would do anything to go back to my career (in the Army).”

He told the court he escaped from HMP Wandsworth so he would be kept in a high-security unit that was away from sex offenders and terrorists who, he said, wanted to harm him.

He was worried that conditions at Belmarsh, where he was being moved for his trial, would be even worse than those in Wandsworth, jurors were told.

Khalife said he had no intention of leaving the country or to “run away from these charges”.

“I left, and I knew I would be classified as double category A,” he said.

As well as the prison escape and bomb hoax charges, he also faces charges contrary to the Official Secrets Act and Terrorism Act. He denies all the charges, and the trial will continue on 11 November.