Revealed: Ex-Royal Marine, 37, accused of spying for Hong Kong who was found dead in a park tried to take his own life after his arrest

A former Royal Marine accused of spying for Hong Kong has been found dead in ‘unexplained’ circumstances.

Matthew Trickett, 37, was found in a park near his home on Sunday just days after being charged with carrying out surveillance and hostile reconnaissance on pro-democracy activists in the UK for the Hong Kong intelligence service.

The suspected spy, who worked as an immigration enforcement officer for the Home Office, was due to appear at the Old Bailey on Friday charged with betraying his country.

His family said: ‘We’re mourning the loss of a much-loved son, brother and family man.’

Police said yesterday that they were treating the death as unexplained. But it can be revealed that prosecutors wanted to remand Trickett in custody for his own safety, after a previous suicide attempt he made following his arrest.

It can be revealed that prosecutors wanted to remand Trickett in custody for his own safety, after a previous suicide attempt he made following his arrest

Despite this, the Afghanistan veteran was released on bail on Monday last week. Six days later he was found dead at Grenfell Park in Maidenhead, Berkshire.

In an extraordinary espionage case which is the first of its kind, Trickett and two other men, Chi Leung Wai, 38, who works at Heathrow for UK Border Force, and Chung Biu Yuen, 63, a trade official, are jointly accused of carrying out surveillance operations in the UK allegedly targeting dissidents of the regime.

It is the first time that anyone has been charged with spying on British soil for the Hong Kong intelligence service.

The trio were charged last Monday under the new National Security Act brought in last year to target those working secretly for hostile states within the UK.

Born in Poole, Dorset, in 1987, Trickett enlisted into the Royal Marines aged 19 and served for seven years, rising to the position of detachment commander.

He fought against the Taliban and Somali pirates in the Red Sea before leaving the military in 2013. He set up his own security company in 2021, working as a bodyguard for engineers, foreign dignitaries and corporate organisations as well as wealthy families.

Trickett was then employed by the UK Border Force at Heathrow before joining Home Office Immigration Enforcement on February 21 this year.

When he appeared in court last Monday, there were concerns for his health after he had attempted suicide two days earlier.

Kashif Malik, prosecuting, told Westminster Magistrates’ Court: ‘On Saturday morning he attempted to hurt himself, to commit suicide. The custody team intervened and he is now on a 24-hour watch.

‘On two separate occasions he told custody sergeants when he is released he will kill himself, he has nothing to live for. How realistic that is, we don’t know, but… having already tried to harm himself while in prison, he should be remanded in custody for his own safety.’

Trickett was found dead at Grenfell Park in Maidenhead, Berkshire, six days after his release

But Julian Hayes, defending, played down the suicide attempt, which he blamed on Trickett’s medical condition.

He said: ‘He suffers from hypogonadism, a hormone deficiency that requires testosterone, which he takes every other day.

‘He wasn’t getting that in custody and as a result his mood crashed and he did endeavour to self-harm. It was more a cry for help than a genuine attempt.’

Mr Hayes told the court it was ‘in the interests of his own welfare’ to release Trickett on bail and suggested he could report daily to a police station.

Yesterday a Thames Valley Police spokesman said Trickett’s body had been found six days later: ‘At around 5.15pm on Sunday, officers attended Grenfell Park, Maidenhead.

‘Emergency treatment was commenced but sadly the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

‘An investigation is ongoing into the death, which is currently being treated as unexplained.’

The force has referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

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