Maidenhead man charged with helping Hong Kong intelligence service

A man from Maidenhead has been charged with helping the Hong Kong intelligence service.

Matthew Trickett, 37, was charged with assisting a foreign intelligence service and with foreign interference under the National Security Act.

He is set to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court today (May 13), along with Chi Leung (Peter) Wai, 38, of Staines-upon-Thames and Chung Biu Yuen, 63, of Hackney.

The trio have all been charged with the same offences.

Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command, said: 

“While these offences are concerning, I want to reassure the public that we do not believe there to be any wider threat to them.

“This investigation remains ongoing, but now that charges have been brought, I urge people not to speculate or comment further in relation to this case.”

Police detained 11 people under section 27 of the National Security Act 2023 as part of the investigation.

Counter terrorism officers arrested eight men and a woman in the Yorkshire area on May 1.

Two further arrests were made the following day – one man was arrested in London and another in the Yorkshire area.

The seven men and one woman who were not charged have been released from custody.

Cmdr Murphy said: “This operation is not connected to a recently reported Counter Terrorism Policing investigation linked to Russia.

“A number of arrests were made and searches carried out across England as part of this investigation.

“While led from London, the Counter Terrorism Policing network has been crucial to disrupting this activity and we have worked closely with the Crown Prosecution Service since the start of the investigation.”