A British man accused of spying for Hong Kong was mysteriously found dead in a British park over the weekend, just days before he was due to appear in court.
The body of Matthew Trickett, 37, was discovered by a passerby in Grenfell Park in Maidenhead, west London, on Sunday afternoon, in what police described as an “unexplained death”.
Mr Trickett, a former Royal Marine who works for a private security company, was one of three people charged earlier this month with assisting Hong Kong’s foreign intelligence services with intelligence gathering and surveillance in the UK.
The suspect was released on bail at a court hearing on May 13 after being charged with two offenses under the UK National Security Act, and was due to stand trial at London’s Central Criminal Court on Friday.
Police said an investigation into his death was ongoing but they would not comment further.
An autopsy will be performed to determine the cause.
Police remained at the park late Tuesday, with several officers standing guard next to a black forensic tent near a children’s play area.
Mr Trickett’s lawyer, Julian Hayes, said Mr Trickett was “shocked” by the news and could not comment further in light of the investigation.
He added that Mr Trickett’s family were “mourning the loss of a beloved son, brother and family member.”
The spying scandal involving Mr Trickett has fueled a diplomatic spat between Britain and China, with Chinese authorities in both Britain and Hong Kong condemning the charges.
The Chinese embassy in London accused the UK of fabricating charges against Mr Trickett and two others, Mr Chee Leung (Peter) Wai, 38, and Mr Chong Biu Yuen, 63. has no right to interfere in Hong Kong’s affairs.
Meanwhile, the UK Foreign Office summoned the Chinese ambassador on May 14 and said espionage and cyber-attacks were unacceptable on mainland Britain.
With post wire
