Death of former UK marine Matthew Trickett charged with spying for Hong Kong sends shock waves through city, officials refuse to comment on ‘speculation’
- Former Royal Marine Matthew Trickett found dead in UK park, according to local police, who say death being treated as ‘unexplained’
- He was on bail along with two others also accused of spying for Hong Kong in high-profile case that has put spotlight on city’s overseas trade offices
Matthew Trickett, a Home Office immigration officer, was found dead in a park in Maidenhead, Berkshire, on Sunday, according to Thames Valley Police, who said on Tuesday they were treating the death as “unexplained”.
The Berkshire force added that because Trickett had prior contact with its officers and was required to report to a police station regularly, it had referred the incident to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), a routine procedure when there is a death after police contact.
The IOPC said the incident should be investigated by the force’s professional standards department, which looks at possible misconduct by police officers and also handles complaints from the public.
Hong Kong authorities declined to comment. Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said the government would not comment on individual cases.
Trickett was released on bail by a court last week along with Peter Wai Chi-leung, 38, and Bill Yuen Chung-biu, 63, pending their next court appearance, scheduled for Friday.
The three were charged with assisting an overseas intelligence service and foreign interference, under the UK’s 2023 National Security Act.
At the first hearing on May 13, the prosecution asked the court for Trickett to be kept in custody because he had attempted to take his own life after being charged. District Judge Louisa Cieciora refused the request and released him on bail.
Professor Simon Young Ngai-man, a legal expert at the University of Hong Kong, said that when considering bail applications, a judge was in a “difficult position” in trying to balance the defendant’s interests and liberty with possible risks to the suspect or others.
“If bail is granted to the other two defendants, it would be difficult to justify detaining Trickett unless there was clear evidence he was suicidal and required close monitoring,” Young said.
Although the prosecution had made a submission to the court about Trickett’s mental status, Young noted that being in custody would not “absolutely prevent” the person from taking their own life.
“It will be difficult to cast blame whether on the judge or defence lawyers given the uncertainties involved,” he said.
Young said a coroner’s inquiry should be launched for further investigation into the death.
Julian Hayes, Trickett’s solicitor, said that the defence team was “naturally shocked” by the news and was supporting the family “as best we can”.
He declined to comment further as investigations continued.
Trickett’s family asked for privacy in a statement reported by British media.
“We are mourning the loss of a much-loved son, brother, and family member,” the family said. “We would be grateful if the press would respect our privacy at this difficult time and refrain from intruding on our grief.”
The high-profile case has sparked questions about the work of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in London, where Yuen is an office manager.
Bernard Chan Pak-li, the acting secretary for commerce and economic development, refused to comment on “rumours” circulated online about the spying case.
“I will not comment here on some rumours, speculation, or even some nonsense accusations that are being circulated or posted on the internet,” said Chan, referring to details related to the Economic and Trade Office in London.
He emphasised that the role of the trade offices was to liaise with a variety of sectors of the host communities in a bid to boost commerce, trade and investment, as well as promote arts and culture.
“Going ahead, our colleagues at the Economic and Trade Offices will continue to carry out their duties to promote Hong Kong’s unique advantages and tell good Hong Kong stories fearlessly, without bias and legally,” he said.
The Hong Kong government earlier said it had asked for more details on the spying incident from the British consulate in the city.
