(London) A man who was accused of aiding Hong Kong intelligence services and was released on bail by a British court last week has been found dead, British police said Tuesday.
The lifeless body of Matthew Trickett, 37, was found on Sunday in a park in Maidenhead, west London, following a report by a passerby, local police said.
“An investigation is underway into the death, which is currently considered unexplained,” she added.
Trickett, originally from southeast England, was one of three men charged Monday by British courts in a case of spying for Hong Kong.
He was released on bail, as were Leung Wai (38) and Chung Biu Yuen (63), pending their next appearance which was scheduled for this Friday.
They were charged in London with aiding Hong Kong intelligence services and foreign interference under Britain’s National Security Act 2023, according to Scotland Yard.
This law, which came into force in December, aims to strengthen the United Kingdom’s national security against “hostile activities” targeting the country’s democratic institutions, economy and values.
Among the defendants is Chung Biu Yuen, a head of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Agency (ETO) in London, the Hong Kong government reported.
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee on Monday accused the United Kingdom of having “invented accusations, arbitrarily arrested Chinese citizens and slandered the Hong Kong government.” He said on Tuesday that he had asked the British consulate in Hong Kong for clarification on the matter and was waiting for a response.
Mr. Lee, a former police officer and security chief, also considered the work of ETO agencies abroad crucial in promoting cultural and economic exchanges, urging all governments to respect “the legitimate duties of our agents ETO in their economies.”
“Any attempt to make unwarranted allegations against the (Hong Kong) government is unacceptable,” he said.
The Chinese financial hub has its own trade policies, separate from those of mainland China, and does not have an overseas consulate.
The three men appeared on Monday before the British courts, which accused them of having gathered information and carried out surveillance actions “likely to materially assist a foreign intelligence service in its actions linked to the United Kingdom”.
The United Kingdom has repeatedly denounced the repression of the pro-democracy movement in its former colony, several of whose figures in exile have found refuge on British soil.