A former member of the UK's Royal Marines, bailed by a court last week over allegations of assisting Hong Kong's intelligence services in a Chinese-linked espionage case, has been found dead, British police said Tuesday.
Matthew Trickett, 37, was found dead in a park in Maidenhead, west of London, on Sunday following a report by a member of the public, Thames Valley Police said, according to AFP.
Trickett had more recently been employed as an immigration enforcement officer and private investigator, the UK's PA news agency reported.
He was formerly employed by the UK Border Force at Heathrow Airport, before joining Home Office Immigration Enforcement on February 21, 2024, PA said.
“An investigation is ongoing into the death, which is currently being treated as unexplained,” the police force said in a statement.
Trickett, from southeast England, was one of three men accused in the Hong Kong spy case.
The three suspects were arrested early this month. Trickett was then released on bail along with Chi Leung Wai, 38, and Chung Biu Yuen, 63, pending their next court appearance, scheduled to take place on Friday.
Between December 20, 2023, and May 2, 2024, they are accused of agreeing to undertake information gathering, surveillance and acts of deception that were likely to materially assist a foreign intelligence service.
