Canada naval officer pleads guilty to spying

OTTAWA (REUTERS) - A Canadian naval intelligence officer pleaded guilty on Wednesday to handing over secrets to an unidentified foreign country, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp reported.

Sub-Lieutenant Jeffrey Paul Delisle made the plea through his lawyer during a preliminary court appearance in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The judge has imposed a publication ban on much of the proceedings.

Delisle, 41, was charged with breach of trust and two counts of passing information to "a foreign entity". Canadian authorities will not comment on media reports the foreign country in question was Russia.

Delisle's sentencing hearing will be held on Jan. 10 and 11 next year. He was arrested in January.