Canada

A former Halifax navy intelligence officer pleaded guilty Wednesday to all the espionage charges he was facing.

Defence lawyer Mike Taylor told a provincial court judge in Halifax that Sub-Lt. Jeffrey Paul Delisle was pleading guilty to the three charges he faced and was giving up his right to a trial.

Delisle was charged with breach of trust and two charges of passing information to a foreign entity that could harm Canada's interests.

Two days have been scheduled for sentencing starting on Jan. 10.

A preliminary hearing was scheduled to begin in his trial on Wednesday.

The 41-year-old was denied bail in March and has been in custody at the Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility in Halifax since his arrest in January.

The case against Delisle marked the first time someone had been charged under the Security of Information Act and his guilty plea is the first conviction under the federal law. The act was passed by the House of Commons after the terrorist attacks on the United States on Sept. 11, 2001.

 was in court for the brief hearing, wearing a blue hooded sweatshirt, jeans and glasses. He clasped his hands and appeared unmoved as the judge asked him if he understood the consequences of the plea.

A broad publication ban has been imposed on hearings in the case so far.

Delisle joined the navy as a reservist in 1996, became a member of the regular forces in 2001 and was promoted to an officer rank in 2008.