A former UK soldier who was recently charged with aiding the Hong Kong intelligence services has died, according to police reports.
Matthew Trickett, 37, who also worked as a Home Office immigration officer, was discovered by a bystander in Grenfell Park, Maidenhead, Berkshire, on Sunday, as stated by Thames Valley Police.
The circumstances of the ex-soldier’s death are currently unclear, and an autopsy is planned to investigate further.
Police responded to the scene around 5:15 PM BST where Trickett was pronounced dead despite receiving emergency care.
A forensic tent was visible within the park’s cordoned area on Tuesday evening. Police are urging anyone with information from the park around the time of the incident to come forward.
Trickett’s family has expressed their deep sorrow, requesting privacy during this challenging period.
His lawyer, Julian Hayes, expressed shock and commitment to supporting the family. Previously, Trickett served as a Royal Marine and ran a security firm named MTR Consultancy.
The soldier was charged alongside two others under the National Security Act for alleged espionage and unauthorized activities favourable to a foreign intelligence entity.
The charges include conducting surveillance and breaking into a UK residence.
The accused had appeared in court last week, where bail was granted pending their next court appearance scheduled for Friday at the Old Bailey.
In December 2023, a UK court sentenced a Chechen-born man to three and a half years in prison after being found guilty of spying on an opposition Iranian television station based in London, assisting terrorists in plotting an attack.
Magomed Hussein Dovtaev, 31, was charged with surveilling the headquarters of Iran International in West London as part of a plan by others to carry out a terrorist attack.
Dovtaev was convicted of attempting to gather information useful for terrorism. The court heard that the television station has been critical of the Iranian government for years, accusing it of human rights violations.
