A 28-year-old man was apprehended for allegedly selling the stolen phone of Morgan McSweeney, the former chief of staff at Downing Street. Scotland Yard detained the man last Wednesday, and he was subsequently released on bail. Authorities clarified that he is not believed to be connected to the initial theft that occurred on October 20 last year.
The incident raised concerns about the potential loss of significant messages related to Lord Peter Mandelson’s contentious appointment as the US ambassador. In response, members of parliament pushed for the release of numerous files to shed light on the extent of the peer’s ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein prior to his diplomatic posting in Washington.
Recent revelations from the initial batch of files indicated that the Prime Minister had been cautioned about the risks associated with appointing Lord Mandelson, a move described as hastily executed by national security advisor Jonathan Powell.
In a peculiar development, a transcript of the emergency call made by Mr. McSweeney on the day of the theft revealed that he did not disclose his position as Keir Starmer’s chief of staff when reporting the incident. Despite giving chase to the thief, who escaped on a bicycle, the police mistakenly recorded the crime at a different address five miles away.
Subsequently, the Metropolitan Police made the call log public in March to refute claims of negligence in investigating the theft. The log exposed that Mr. McSweeney mentioned it was a government-issued phone but did not elaborate on his role at Downing Street or the sensitivity of the data stored on his device.
A spokesperson from the Metropolitan Police stated, “A 28-year-old man was arrested on suspicions of handling stolen goods related to a mobile phone theft in Belgrave Road, Pimlico, on October 20, 2025. The arrest occurred on Wednesday, April 29, in Peckham. The individual was taken into custody and later released on bail. He is suspected of receiving and selling the stolen phone but is not linked to the original theft. The phone has not been recovered.”
