LONDON: A former British soldier who sparked a manhunt after escaping from prison before his trial was sentenced by a UK court on Monday to 14 years for spying for Iran.

Daniel Khalife, 23, was found guilty in November of espionage and terrorism charges as well as for escaping prison.

A judge at Woolwich Crown Court in southeast London sentenced him to 14 years and three months jail for embarking on a `dangerous and fantastical plan` that involved passing sensitive information t o Ir anian intelligence for cash.

Khalife, whose mother is Iranian, gathered information, including the names of elite special forces personnel, over a two-and-a-half-year period while posted in the UK and United States before being arrested and charged in 2023.

`The mere fact that you started on this dangerous and fantastical plan demonstrates your immaturity and lack of wisdom,` said Justice Bobbie CheemaGrubb.

Prosecutors accused Khalife of playing a `cynical game`, making contact with a man linked to Iranian intelligence after joining the British army.

He subsequently told British intelligence he wanted to be a double agent, in what his defence lawyer termed a `hapless` ploy.

In September 2023, Khalife escaped a London prison strapped to the underside of a food delivery truck, sparking a three-day nationwide manhunt and raising concerns about prison security.

`This sentence reflects the gravity of the offences committed by Khalife, said Dominic Murphy, head of the Metropolitan Police`s Counter Terrorism Command.-AFP