Explainer | Who are the 3 men charged in the UK with spying for Hong Kong?
- Trio alleged to have gathered information, carried out surveillance and forced entry into residential address in United Kingdom
- Here, the Post looks at the backgrounds of the three defendants, Bill Yuen, Peter Wai and Matthew Trickett
British authorities have prosecuted three men for allegedly breaching the UK’s National Security Act 2023 by assisting an overseas intelligence service and engaging in foreign interference on behalf of Hong Kong.
The spotlight fell on 63-year-old defendant Bill Yuen Chung-biu, an office manager at the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in London.
The three are alleged to have gathered information, carried out surveillance and forced entry into a residential address in the United Kingdom.
Here, the Post takes a look at their alleged offences and backgrounds.
1. Who is Bill Yuen?
The 63-year-old office manager at the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office is understood to be a retired Hong Kong police officer.
According to the office’s organisation chart, the administration unit’s office manager is named “Bill C B Yuen”.
The defendant is alleged to have contravened the National Security Act 2023 by agreeing to undertake information gathering, surveillance and acts of deception that were likely to assist a foreign intelligence service carrying out UK-related activities. The three allegedly committed the crime between December 20 last year and May 2.
The prosecution also laid a foreign interference charge on Yuen and the other two men. They were suspected of forcing entry into a UK residential address on May 1, being reckless as to whether the prohibited conduct would have an effect of interference.
2. Who is Peter Wai Chi-leung?
It is understood that the 38-year-old defendant is a City of London Police special constable and the director of D5 Security Limited.
British companies registry documents show that a person named Wai Chi-leung is the director of D5 Security Limited, a private firm based in the country.
According to the company’s website, the firm provides services for high-net-worth individuals, families and businesses based in the UK, mainland China and Hong Kong, and develops tailor-made security plans.
It also says most of the staff have “extensive backgrounds in the British military and police”, claiming their vast training and experience allows them to offer professional services to wealthy clients.
The director was said to have over 20 years’ experience in the British military, police and private security sector.
The website said his knowledge, experience and leadership could resolve security concerns at all levels, while he had a vast network of professionals able provide “exclusive and discreet services” to clients.
According to Webb-site.com, which examines Hong Kong corporate governance and is run by David Webb, the director also carried the same title at six other companies.
3. Who is Matthew Trickett?
It is understood that the 37-year-old defendant was an immigration enforcement officer and also a director of MTR Consultancy, a firm primarily focused on security, surveillance and private investigations.
The UK’s companies registry documents show that a company called MTR Consultancy Limited has a director named “Matthew Peter Trickett”, a British security consultant born in 1987. The company’s nature of business was “private security activities”.
According to the company registry, another Briton named “Matthew Peter Trickett” who was born in 1987 and has a different correspondence address, was a former director of D5 Consultancy Services Limited.
