An official of the Hong Kong government’s Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) in London and his alleged accomplice on Thursday formally denied charges of spying for a foreign intelligence service, and for breaking into a home in the UK.

The not guilty plea made by HKETO manager Bill Yuen Chung-biu and security firm owner Peter Wai Chi-leung at London’s Central Criminal Court mark the start of a protracted proceeding, with the date of a six-week jury trial set for 10 March 2025.

At the pre-trial hearing before Justice Bobbie Cheema-Grubb, Yuen, 64, and the 38-year-old Wai assumed the dock and were asked for the first time to enter a plea since their arrest by the UK police in May. The pair have been released on bail and had made four court appearance since then.

Spotting a navy suit and tie, Yuen appeared calm and relaxed, while Wai sat expressionless two chairs apart from his alleged accomplice wearing a grey blazer and dark tie. Both rose to declare “not guilty” when the clerk read out the respective charges.

Both Yuen and Wai were charged for two counts of offences under the National Security Act 2023. The court heard that under the first charge, Yuen and Wai together with others unnamed persons agreed to undertake information gathering, surveillance and acts of deception between 20 December 2023 and 2 May 2024, that was likely to assist a foreign intelligence service, in contrary to section 3(2) and (9) of the Act. For the second charge, the pair and other unnamed persons were accused of engaging in forced entry into a UK residential address on 1 May 2024, being reckless as to whether the prohibited conduct, or course of conduct of which it forms part, would have an interference effect, in contrary to section 13(2) and (7).

Wai was also charged for the common law offence of misconduct in public office, where he was accused of wilfully misconducted himself between the 16 September 2022 and 2 May 2024 by conducting searches of Home Office databases available to him in his role as a public officer, namely a UK Border Force Officer, without any justification for doing so. The pair will next appear in court for a pre-trial hearing on 14 February 2025.

Justice Cheema-Grubb postponed the original scheduled commencement of the trial by four weeks to 10 March, after taking into account the growing amount of evidence presented by the prosecution lead by Duncan Atkinson, KC, as well as the requests by Yuen and Wai’s legal teams respectively headed by Jonathan Caplan, KC and Aftab Jafferjee, KC, who wanted more time to put together their defence.

A London court on Friday ordered a Hong Kong official and his alleged accomplice in a high-profile espionage case to attend a hearing on 12 December 2024.

The stepping up of pre-trial proceedings came as defendants Bill Yuen Chung-biu, 64, manager of the Hong Kong Government’s Economic and Trade Office in London, and 38-year-old security firm owner Peter Wai Chi-leung, both beefed up their legal team.

The duo was arrested earlier this year for assisting a foreign intelligence service and foreign interference, and have been released on bail. They have appeared in court three times since, with date for a jury trial set on 10 February 2025.

At a hearing on Friday at the Woolwich Crown Court conducted via video links, Justice Bobbie Cheema-Grubb handled case management matters including timetabling and applications from the legal teams of the defendants, who have themselves been excused from attending.

The details of the hearing cannot be reported to avoid affecting the jury in the upcoming trial. The prosecution laid a new charge against Wai, who is a former UK Border Force officer based in Heathrow Airport, for misconduct in public office, contrary to common law.

The court ordered Yuen and Wai to attend a hearing in person at the Central Criminal Court on 12 December. Both Yuen and Wei have yet to plea.

At Friday’s hearing, criminal lawyer Jonathan Caplan, KC, made a debut as lead of Yuen’s legal team. Caplan regularly represents the Hong Kong government, including the appeal against the convictions of police assaulting activist Ken Tsang during the Occupy movement in 2014, and the Carson Yeung money laundering appeal in 2016. Wai’s legal team also brought in Aftab Jafferjee, KC, who specialises in terrorism, homicide and secret cases.

No HKETO representatives was seen at the Friday hearing, but three mandarin-speaking men told reporters that they sat in as members of the public.

A judge on Friday rejected the request by a Hong Kong official who is facing spying charges to lift a daily curfew from the bail conditions, and ordered him and his alleged accomplice to report back for another hearing within a month.

Yuen Chung-biu (known as Bill Yuen), 64, manager of the Hong Kong Government’s Economic and Trade Office in London, and Wai Chi-leung, aka Peter Wai, 38-year-old security firm owner and border force officer at Heathrow Airport, appeared this morning at London’s Central Criminal Court, known as the Old Bailey, to answer for charges brought against them in an unprecedented case under Britain’s national security law.

The timing of the prosecution, which caused a diplomatic storm between Beijing and London when it first came to light in May, now coincides with a delicate period when Britain and China restarted diplomatic dialogue aiming to achieve pragmatic relations.

Both wearing navy-coloured suits and blue ties, Yuen and Wai arrived separately at the court about two hours ahead of what was listed as a pre-trial hearing, which started at 11:30am before Justice Bobbie Cheema-Grubb. No plea was taken when the duo assumed the dock, who only raised their hands when asked to confirm their identity.

The duo was arrested earlier this year for assisting a foreign intelligence service and foreign interference, and have been released on bail subject to police monitoring of mobile communications, confiscation of travel documents, and curfew from 10pm to 5am.

Yuen’s barrister Michael Hick, who has recently taken up the brief following a change of Yuen’s defence team, made several procedural requests to the court including the need for a more detailed case summary, and longer deadlines for the defendants to consider case dismissal and request for anonymity.

The barrister also applied for the court to lift the curfew requirement, while agreeing to keep the rest of the bail conditions.

While making no application regarding lifting the curfew, Wai’s barrister Mark Heywood, KC, also complained about difficulties with handling large amount of case materials, and agreed with Hick’s request for additional time.

But the prosecution’s barrister Duncan Atkinson objected to Yuen’s request regarding the curfew, and said the original prosecution timetable and the case materials already provide sufficient room for the defendants to put up a defence.

After taking into account the arguments from the prosecution and defendants, Justice Cheema-Grubb said she considered the curfew as a necessary and significant part of the bail conditions and must continue. After making certain adjustments to the timetable, the judge ordered the defendants to appear again at another pre-trial hearing on 22 November.

She also ordered that the location of the trial by jury, which was scheduled to be held at the Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court on 10 February 2025, be moved back to the Old Bailey.

Yuen and Wai deliberately avoided each other at the court today, but both interacted with the media for the first time.

When asked by Green Bean Media on whether he was still on full duty at the HKETO, Yuen smiled, and casually tapped the shoulder of a journalist, saying, “I am sorry, very sorry.” In contrast, a stony-faced Wai snapped back at reporters’ questions on how he has been keeping since May. “You can ask whatever you want,” Wai said, before storming away down the hall.

Yuen and Wai last attended a hearing at the Old Bailey on 24 May. Before that, they first appeared at the Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 13 May 2024. The court heard that between 20 December 2023 and 2 May this year, Yuen, Wai and the now-deceased third defendant Matthew Trickett agreed to undertake information gathering, surveillance and acts of deception that were likely to assist a foreign intelligence service, in contrary to section 3 (1) and (9) of the National Security Act 2023.

It is also alleged that they forced entry into a UK residential address on 1 May, being reckless as to whether the prohibited conduct, or course of conduct of which it forms part, would have an interference effect, contrary to section 13 (2) and (7) of the act.

The prosecution against Trickett, a former Royal Marine commando who was found dead at a Berkshire park under no suspicious cause of death just days before the last hearing at the Old Bailey, has since been discontinued.

Media attendance of today’s hearing was less intense compared to the last hearing. In contrast, officials from the HKETO, led by its Deputy Director-General Amy Wong Hoi-ling and Assistant Director-General Stanley Woo Man-hong, arrived early in the morning and managed to secure the first in the queue to grab seats at the public gallery.

Since the start of the prosecution, Hong Kong’s official trade outpost in London has been under intense pressure from Westminster, where some parliamentarians had raised questions about its status as well as concerns over alleged transnational repression.

But Sino-British relations are apparently warming up under the new Labour government, in particular following a visit by Foreign Secretary David Lammy to Beijing last week, where he described it as the beginning of a process to restart dialogue.

A Hong Kong official and his alleged accomplice accused of spying in the UK will speak for the first time in court today, to answer for the charges brought against them in an unprecedented case under Britain’s national security law.

The hearing of Yuen Chung-biu (known as Bill Yuen), 64, who is manager of the Hong Kong Government’s Economic and Trade Office in London, and 38-year-old security firm owner and border force officer at Heathrow Airport Wai Chi-leung, aka Peter Wai, coincides with a delicate period when Britain and China restarted diplomatic dialogue aiming to achieve pragmatic relations.

The duo, who are on bail subject to police monitoring and curfew since their last court appearance on 24 May, are expected to make a plea at Court 13 of the Central Criminal Court in London at 11.30am before Justice Bobbie Cheema-Grubb, who will oversee pre-trial preparation.

HKETO Deputy Director General Amy Wong Hoi-ling and Assistant Director General Stanley Woo Man-hong were spotted at the front of the public gallery early this morning, promptly facing the wall when journalists attempted to capture their image.

Yuen and Wai were arrested earlier this year for assisting a foreign intelligence service and foreign interference. They first appeared at the Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 13 May 2024. The court heard that between 20 December 2023 and 2 May this year, Yuen, Wai and the now-deceased third defendant Matthew Trickett agreed to undertake information gathering, surveillance and acts of deception that were likely to assist a foreign intelligence service, in contrary to section 3 (1) and (9) of the National Security Act 2023.

It is also alleged that they forced entry into a UK residential address on 1 May, being reckless as to whether the prohibited conduct, or course of conduct of which it forms part, would have an interference effect, contrary to section 13 (2) and (7) of the act.

The prosecution against Trickett, a former Royal Marine commando who was found dead at a Berkshire park under no suspicious cause of death just days before the last hearing at the Old Bailey, has since been discontinued.

Yuen and Wai – both with dual Chinese and British nationality, did not enter a plea at the last hearing. They were told to expect trial by jury at the Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court scheduled for 10 February 2025, with the hearing estimated to take up to six weeks.

The timing of the case – the first time Hong Kongers have been prosecuted under the UK’s new national security legislation, comes at a delicate time just days after Foreign Secretary David Lammy’s visit to Beijing last week.

A Hong Kong government official in the UK and a security company director accused of spying have on Friday been told to face trial in February next year, although the prosecution dropped charges for an alleged co-conspirator who was found dead days before the hearing.

It is the first time that Yuen Chung-biu (known as Bill Yuen), 63, who is manager of the Hong Kong Government’s Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) in London, and 38-year-old security firm owner Wai Chi-leung, aka Peter Wai, appeared in court after the death of the third defendant, 37-year-old former Royal Marine commando Matthew Trickett on 19 May. Police have earlier said they were investigating Trickett’s death at a Berkshire park under “unexplained circumstances”.

The case which sees the trio being charged by the UK authorities for assisting a foreign intelligence service and foreign interference have stirred a diplomatic storm since their first mention at a lower court on 13 May. The Chinese side has so far dismissed the allegations as unjustified, while British politicians are starting to question the role of Hong Kong’s trade outpost in London amid on-going concerns about the freedom and human rights situation in the SAR.

Yuen, who was accompanied by barrister Sailesh Mehta, arrived at the Central Criminal Court in London (known as the Old Bailey) about an hour ahead of the case’s preliminary hearing at 10.15am. Wai appeared at about 9.40am, surrounded by an entourage of several suited men, including barrister Justin Hugheston-Robert. Both Yuen and Wai made no comment in response to media questions on how the death of Trickett has affected their case’s prospects.

Spotting dark suits and sitting upright inside court, both Yuen and Wai followed attentively at the exchange between the prosecution, their defence lawyers and Mr Justice Jeremy Baker who presided at the case’s preliminary hearing. The prosecution told the court that charges against Trickett were dropped due to his death. Trickett’s side did not send any legal representation.

Yuen and Wai – both with dual Chinese and British nationality, did not enter a plea. They have been told to expect trial by jury at the Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court scheduled for 10 February 2025, with the hearing estimated to take up to six weeks. They are due to reappear at the Old Bailey on 25 October 2024 for another pre-trial review.

In concluding the half-hour hearing, the judge agreed to remove the requirement for the pair to carry electronic monitoring devices during their time on bail, although the rest of the current bail conditions, including police monitoring of mobile communications, confiscation of travel documents and curfew from 10pm to 5am, will continue.

As a large part of the evidence raised by the prosecution involves digital communications, the judge asked whether the defence would require expert witnesses on this front. Lawyers of both defendants responded in the negative, but did not rule out such possibilities as the case progresses.

The trio first appeared at the Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 13 May 2024. The court heard that between 20 December 2023 and 2 May, Yuen, Wai and Trickett agreed to undertake information gathering, surveillance and acts of deception that were likely to assist a foreign intelligence service, in contrary to section 3 (1) and (9) of the National Security Act 2023. It is also alleged that they forced entry into a UK residential address on 1 May, being reckless as to whether the prohibited conduct, or course of conduct of which it forms part, would have an interference effect, contrary to section 13 (2) and (7) of the act.

The high-profile hearing today at the Old Bailey – a court usually reserved to hear criminal cases of the most serious nature – marks the first time that Hong Kongers have been prosecuted under the UK’s new national security legislation. It has attracted an unusually large number of local and foreign journalists – where almost half of them representing the Chinese and English-language Hong Kong media. Several mandarin-speaking men, sporting casual jackets and wearing cross-body bags or rucksacks, were seen attempting to gain entry first to the press and later the public galleries. They had been turned away because of failure to fulfill stringent entry requirements imposed by the court, which include a ban to carry commonplace personal items such as mobile phones, laptop computers and backpacks into the public galleries.

Members of the public unaware of the banning list were not the only group inconvenienced by the requirements, which had caused a stir among tourists, legal students, and other journalists competing for space with Hong Kong officials who received no privileges. Amy Wong Hoi-ling, Deputy Director General of HKETO, and Assistant Director General Stanley Woo Man-hong who joined the queues for the public galleries at about 9.30am, almost missed the occasion. After hastily leaving to deposit their mobile phones and bags at a nearby shop for a fee, they re-joined the back of the queue in tandem at 10.14am – a minute before the start of the hearing. Wong managed to enter the public galleries in time to hear the judge’s final comments to the defendants before the hearing closed at 10.42am.

Wong was seen to be conversing with a third suited man in a low voice when she exited the court building. When confronted by the media after the hearing, Wong declined to comment on questions such as how the case has affected the ETO’s operation, whether Yuen would continue working for the office, if legal support would be given to the defendants, and whether representatives from the Chinese Foreign Ministry have attended the hearing or have been in touch about the case.

During a meeting with the British Consulate General on Thursday, Hong Kong’s Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Algernon Yau Ying-wah demanded the UK side to give an open account of Trickett’s death as soon as possible “to let the public know the truth and prevent unwarranted speculation”, according to the bureau.

The preliminary hearing completed at 10.42am. While the lawyers discussed with the judge about the timetabling issues and the bail conditions, chaos reigned outside the queue for the public galleries where tourists, legal students, and Hong Kong journalists competed for space with HKETO officials who received no privileges.

Despite queuing since about 9.30am, HKETO Deputy Director General Amy Wong Hoi-ling and Assistant Director General Stanley Woo Man-hong were apparently unaware of the security requirements that no mobile phones nor large bags can be admitted. After hastily leaving to deposit their belongings at a nearby shop, they rejoined the back of the queue in tandem at 10.14am – too late to make it to the start of the hearing at 10.15am.

Wong entered the public galleries in time to hear the judge’s final comments to the defendants before the hearing closed at 10.42am.

Wong was seen to be conversing with a third suited man in a low voice when she exited the court building. When confronted by the media after the hearing, Wong declined to comment on questions such as how the case has affected the ETO’s operation, whether Yuen would continue working for the office, if legal support would be given to the defendants, and whether representatives from the Chinese Embassy have attended the hearing or have been in touch about the case.

The spy case has its preliminary hearing at the Central Criminal Court this morning before Justice Jeremy Baker. The prosecution against the 3rd defendant, Matthew Trickett, was discontinued following his death. The case is scheduled for trial at Kingston Crown Court on 10 February next year.

The two defendants Bill Yuen and Peter Wai will attend the court again for pre-trial review on 25 October this year.

Second defendant Peter Wai arrived with the legal team at 9.40am. He stayed silent when asked by Green Bean whether the death of the 3rd defendant had any impact on his case. He also stayed silent when asked if he has received any legal backing by HKETO.

HKETO officials arrived five minutes after Bill Yuen, and they made a failed attempt to gain entry through the entrance reserved for lawyers, jury and the press. They have been directed to queue at the public entrance. Both officials did not answer to Green Bean’s question on whether the case has any impact to HKETO’s role and position in the UK, nor the effect of the death of the third defendant has on the case.

First defendant Bill Yuen just arrived the court building at 9.18am accompanied by his lawyer. When asked by Green Bean whether he thinks the death of third defendant Matthew Trickett has any impact to the case, Yuen kept his silence.

Security measures at the Old Bailey have always been stringent – unlike the lower magistrates’ courts which are comparatively easy on admittance procedures. Here at the Old Bailey, if you are not lawyers, defendants, juries and journalists who are given fast-track access through the main gate, members of the public, including family of the defendants (and possibly representatives of the Hong Kong ETO) who want to observe the proceedings are required to queue at a dark side alley through a wooden door leading to the public galleries.

We are told by the security personnel that because of the status of the court building and the nature of the criminal cases being heard here, tighter security measures mean commonplace personal items such as mobile phones, laptop computers and backpacks are prohibited from being brought into the public galleries. But we have been given the tips that those who are unaware of the banned item list do not need to miss the hearings – there are shops down the road which offer safekeeping service for bags and mobile phones for as little as £5 per day.

A bright London sky greets rush hour commuters who are starting to pour out from the underground stations in the City of London, where the Central Criminal Court – known as the Old Bailey, is situated. Before the court opens for the Friday hearing, which is the last sitting day before the bank holiday long weekend, an unusually large press pack starts to gather outside the imposing building where some of the most notorious criminal cases had been tried at the capital.

Two Hong Kongers arrested earlier by the British police for allegedly spying for the Hong Kong authorities will appear before the Central Criminal Court, known as the Old Bailey, at 10.15am this morning for a preliminary hearing.

Yuen Chung-biu (known as Bill Yuen), 63, office manager of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in London who is a retired superintendent of the Hong Kong Police, and 38-year-old security service company director Wai Chi-leung, aka Peter Wai, will answer the charges for assisting a foreign intelligence service and foreign interference.

In a tragic development on Sunday 19 May, the third defendant of the case, 37-year-old British immigration enforcement officer and former Royal Marine Matthew Trickett, was found dead in a public park near Maidenhead, Berkshire. The British Police are investigating the death under “unexplained circumstances”.

Today’s proceeding, which will be conducted at Court 6 of the Old Bailey before Mr Justice Jeremy Baker, is listed as a preliminary hearing where the prosecution and the defence are expected to discuss case management issues such as timetabling.

The trio, who have been granted bail, first appeared at the Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 13 May 2024. The court heard that between 20 December 2023 and 2 May, Yuen, Wai and Trickett agreed to undertake information gathering, surveillance and acts of deception that were likely to assist a foreign intelligence service, in contrary to section 3 (1) and (9) of the National Security Act 2023. It is also alleged that they forced entry into a UK residential address on 1 May, being reckless as to whether the prohibited conduct, or course of conduct of which it forms part, would have an interference effect, contrary to section 13 (2) and (7) of the act.

The case has caused an escalating diplomatic row between London, Beijing and Hong Kong where the Chinese side has dismissed the allegations as unjustified, while British politicians have started questioning the role of Hong Kong’s trade outpost in London amid on-going concerns about the freedom and human rights situation in the SAR.