UK national security trial involving Hong Kong trade office employee set to begin

2026-03-03 - 12:36

A UK national security trial tied to the Hong Kong government is set to begin this week in London, as jury selection is underway. The Central Criminal Court of England and Wales, commonly referred to as the Old Bailey, in London. File photo: Wikicommons. The two defendants – Bill Yuen, a manager of Hong Kong’s trade office in London, and Peter Wai, a former UK border officer – previously pleaded not guilty to spying charges. They have been accused of gathering intelligence and conducting surveillance against Hong Kong democracy activists in the UK and of allegedly breaking into a residence in London. The Central Criminal Court of England and Wales began jury selection for the case on Monday morning, HK01 reported. The court is expected to finish selecting a 12-member jury on Tuesday, with the trial set to begin on Wednesday. Judge Bobbie Cheema-Grubb is presiding over the trial, scheduled to last seven weeks, The Witness reported. Yuen and Wai, who have been on bail since their arrests nearly two years ago, appeared in court at around 9am on Monday, Hong Kong media reported. UK authorities arrested Yuen, Wai, and Matthew Trickett, a British immigration enforcement officer, in May 2024, after the trio allegedly attempted to break into the home of a British National (Overseas) passport holder who left Hong Kong in December 2023. From left: Matthew Trickett, Peter Wai and Bill Yuen. Photo: Composite. The three men were charged with assisting a foreign intelligence service and engaging in foreign interference, in violation of the UK’s National Security Act, which came into effect in December 2023. However, on May 19, 2024, less than a week after they were charged, Trickett was found dead in a park in Maidenhead, near his home. Yuen’s legal fees On Friday, Algernon Yau, the Hong Kong secretary for commerce and economic development, said at a press conference that the city’s government would foot Yuen’s legal fees, Ming Pao reported. Yau declined to reveal the amount. According to the Hong Kong government website, Yuen still serves as the office manager of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in London. The case has triggered diplomatic tensions between China and the UK. While China accused the UK of “cooking up” charges and interfering in Hong Kong’s affairs, the UK said China-linked espionage in its territories was “not acceptable.”