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Unexplained Death of British Man Accused of Spying for China Shrouded in Mystery
A former British marine accused of spying for Hong Kong authorities in Britain has died in unexplained circumstances, the police reported on Tuesday, adding a layer of mystery to the case.
Matthew Trickett, 37, was discovered by police late Sunday afternoon at Grenfell Park in Maidenhead, a town west of London, following a report from a member of the public. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
"An investigation is ongoing into the death, which is currently being treated as unexplained," stated Thames Valley police, further noting that a medical examination "will be conducted in due course."
Trickett was one of three men charged last week under Britain's National Security Act with assisting a foreign intelligence service and foreign interference. According to London's Metropolitan Police, "the foreign intelligence service to which the above charges relate is that of Hong Kong."
Trickett had been out on bail since their initial court appearance on May 13 and was scheduled to appear in court again this Friday. All three men — Trickett, Chung Biu Yuen, 63, and Chi Leung (Peter) Wai, 38 — have yet to enter pleas.
Chinese officials have criticized the charges, labeling them as the latest in a series of "groundless and slanderous accusations" by London against Beijing amid rising tensions between the two countries over alleged Chinese espionage.
The government of Hong Kong demanded that Britain provide full details of the allegations and protect the rights of Yuen, who serves as the office manager of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in London.
Trickett, a resident of the Maidenhead area, previously served as a Royal Marine and had worked as a British immigration enforcement officer. Additionally, he was reportedly the director of a security consultancy.
In a statement shared with Reuters, Trickett's family expressed their grief, stating they were "mourning the loss of a much-loved son, brother, and family member." Trickett's lawyer, Julian Hayes, conveyed shock at his client's death but refrained from further comment, citing the ongoing investigation.
Prosecutors allege that the three men engaged in information gathering, surveillance, and acts of deception likely to materially assist the intelligence service in Hong Kong, a former British colony that returned to Chinese rule in 1997, from late last year until May 2. Among the accusations is that they broke into a British residential address on May 1.
The case has further strained relations between Britain and China, with the British Foreign Office summoning the Chinese Ambassador after the spying charges were announced last week.