Houghton had his access to secret papers restricted around 1956 as he had taken secret papers out of the strong-room without the consent of his superiors. By this time, Houghton was passing secrets to Polish spies, who sent them to the Soviets. He was appointed to the Admiralty Underwater Weapons Establishment at Portland, where the Royal Navy would test equipment for undersea warfare. He persuaded Gee, apparently telling her of his connection to the Russians, to assist him in gaining access to documents for which he did not have clearance. Gee passed them to Houghton, and he would photograph them. On the first Saturday of each month, Houghton would go to London, sometimes with Gee, and exchange packages with a contact whom they knew as Gordon Lonsdale, in reality Konon Molody, a KGB agent.