By Matthew Trickett, a 37-year-old British man charged with allegedly spying for Hong Kong’s intelligence services, has been found dead in a park outside of London. Thames Valley police discovered Trickett’s body on Sunday after a member of the public reported the incident in Maidenhead, Berkshire, west of London. The police are currently investigating the “unexplained death.”
Trickett had appeared in Westminster Magistrates’ Court on May 13 alongside two other suspects, all of whom were charged with national security offences and granted bail. As part of his bail conditions, Trickett was required to register at a police station regularly while awaiting court proceedings.
In a statement to The Times, Trickett’s family expressed their grief, saying, “We’re mourning the loss of a much-loved son, brother, and family man.”
The accusations against Trickett and the other suspects have been met with condemnation and rejection from both the Chinese Embassy in the UK and Hong Kong’s Chief Executive, John Lee. Relations between Hong Kong and Britain have deteriorated in recent years, particularly following the mass pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong in 2019 and 2020.
Britain has criticized the Beijing-backed crackdown on opposition in Hong Kong, while Hong Kong authorities have taken issue with Britain providing a safe haven for pro-democracy leaders sought by the Hong Kong police.
According to PA media, the charges against the three men allege that between December 20, 2023, and May 2, 2024, they agreed to engage in information gathering, surveillance, and acts of deception that were likely to materially assist a foreign intelligence service. Additionally, police alleged that on May 1, the three forced entry into a UK residential address.
While all three suspects were granted bail, they were prohibited from traveling internationally and ordered to abide by a nighttime curfew and report weekly to their local police station, as stated by District Judge Louisa Cieciora.
During a recent press conference, Chief Executive John Lee acknowledged that one of the charged men was the office manager of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in London but did not directly address questions about the office’s involvement in the surveillance of Hong Kong dissidents in the UK. Lee maintained that the Economic and Trade Office exists to facilitate cultural and economic interactions with people and businesses in the UK and stated, “Any attempt to make unwarranted accusations against the Hong Kong government is unacceptable.”
The death of Matthew Trickett and the ongoing investigation into the alleged espionage activities have further strained the relationship between Hong Kong and the UK, highlighting the complex political tensions between the two regions.
