A former Royal Marine who had been charged with spying for China has been found dead in a park in unexplained circumstances.
Matthew Trickett, 37, who had been accused of assisting the Hong Kong intelligence service and of foreign interference, was on bail after appearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court last week, alongside Chi Leung (Peter) Wai, 38, and Chung Biu Yuen, 63.
The 37-year-old’s body was discovered in Grenfell Park, Maidenhead, at around 5.15pm on Sunday after a report from a member of the public, Thames Valley Police said on Tuesday evening.
An investigation is ongoing into the death, which is currently being treated as unexplained.
His family have been informed and they are being supported by officers, with a post-mortem examination to be conducted in due course.
In a statement, the family told The Times: “We’re mourning the loss of a much-loved son, brother and family man.”
The charges alleged that between December 20 2023 and May 2 2024, Yuen, Wai and Trickett agreed to undertake information gathering, surveillance and acts of deception that were likely to materially assist a foreign intelligence service.
It is also alleged that on May 1 2024 they forced entry into a UK residential address, being reckless as to whether the prohibited conduct, or course of conduct of which it forms part, would have an interference effect.
They had all been bailed and were next due to appear at the Old Bailey on Friday.
More follows on this breaking news story…