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A former British Marine accused of spying for China has been mysteriously found dead in a park.
Matthew Trickett, 37, of Maidenhead, Berkshire, who was charged with cooperating with Hong Kong intelligence and foreign interference, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court last week along with Chi Leung (Peter) Wai, 38, and Cheong Biu Yuen, 63, and were released on bail.
Thames Valley Police said on Tuesday evening that the 37-year-old’s body was found in Grenfell Park, Maidenhead, at around 5.15pm on Sunday following a call from a member of the public.
The cause of death is currently under investigation, but it is currently being treated as undetermined.
Trickett regularly appeared at police stations while on bail, leading to a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, and the matter has now been referred to Thames Valley Police’s Professional Standards Unit for investigation.
The family has been informed and police are assisting, and a post-mortem examination will be carried out in due course.
The family said in a statement: times: “We mourn the loss of our beloved son, brother and family member.”
Julian Hayes, Mr Trickett’s lawyer and senior partner at Bellis Law Firm, said: “We are understandably shocked by this news and are supporting his family in any way we can.”
Mr Trickett is employed as an immigration officer in the Home Office and previously served for six years in the Royal Marines Royal Special Forces. Wai works as a Border Force officer at Heathrow Airport, while Yuen works as a Hong Kong trade officer based in London.
According to the charges, from December 20, 2023 to May 2, 2024, Mr. Yuen, Mr. Wai, and Mr. Trickett engaged in intelligence gathering, surveillance, and deception that could materially assist foreign intelligence agencies. It is said that he agreed to do so.
It is also alleged that on 1 May 2024, he forced entry into a UK residential address, recklessly as to whether the prohibited conduct, or the course of conduct of which it formed part, would have a disruptive effect. There is.
A total of 11 people were arrested following an investigation by the Metropolitan Police Department’s Counter-Terrorism Command, and they were charged with crimes under the National Security Act.
The trio were all released on bail and were next due to appear at the Old Bailey on Friday.
Last week, the British Foreign Office, at the direction of Foreign Secretary David Cameron, summoned the Chinese ambassador, Zheng Zeguang, to a meeting with senior officials over the escalation of the unrest.
The Chinese embassy in London was furious at the accusations, calling them “fabricated” and “unwarranted accusations” against Hong Kong.
A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) previously said: “The FCDO has made it clear that the recent pattern of behavior directed by China against the UK, including cyber-attacks, espionage-related reports and the issuance of bounties, is unacceptable. “He said,” he said. ”
In March, the government accused China of cyber espionage against politicians and election commissions.
A spokesperson for the British Embassy in China previously said: “The UK has been making a series of accusations against China for some time, including ‘Chinese espionage’ and cyber-attacks.” All these accusations are baseless and defamatory. ”
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