Two Men Accused of Operating as 'Shadow Police' for China in the United Kingdom
In a landmark case at the Old Bailey, two dual Chinese and British nationals have been accused of functioning as "shadow police" on British territory while acting on behalf of Chinese authorities. The trial, which commenced this week, centers on serious allegations of foreign intelligence operations and interference within the UK.
Defendants and Charges Under the National Security Act
Peter Wai, aged 38, and Bill Yuen, aged 65, are facing charges under the National Security Act. Prosecutor Duncan Atkinson KC, in his opening statement, asserted that the defendants engaged in shadow policing operations representing the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and, by extension, the People's Republic of China. "They gathered information about 'persons of interest' to Hong Kong and undertook surveillance, acting as if they were entitled in this country to act as a law enforcement or state intelligence service, when no such entitlement existed," Mr. Atkinson told the court.
Bill Yuen is a retired superintendent from the Hong Kong Police and was previously employed by the Hong Kong Economic Trade Office (HKETO) in London, described as an extension of the Hong Kong government in the UK. His role allegedly extended far beyond administrative duties, involving active intelligence gathering for Hong Kong authorities.
Alleged Surveillance and Intelligence Gathering Operations
Peter Wai, who worked as an officer with the UK Border Force and served as a special constable with the City of London Police, is accused of utilizing his access to official systems to assist in these shadow operations. He reportedly ran a private security company that served as a vehicle for his activities. The court heard that their actions coincided with Hong Kong authorities' determined measures to reach beyond their borders to monitor individuals of interest.
Jurors were informed that bounties totaling £100,000 were offered for information leading to the location or capture of several people, including some UK residents, due to their alleged connections to pro-democracy protests. The Hong Kong government had publicly stated that "abscondees" would be "pursued for life," and the defendants allegedly received requests to gather intelligence on such individuals based in the UK.
Targeting Pro-Democracy Figures and British Politicians
Phone messages between Yuen and Wai indicated surveillance of prominent pro-democracy protester Nathan Law, who had a bounty of one million Hong Kong dollars (£95,680) on his head for information leading to his capture. The defendants also showed interest in collecting intelligence on British politicians who supported the pro-democracy movement.
In discussions about China National Day events across the UK in 2021, Yuen instructed Wai to pay "special attention to the Government people or UK members of Parliament, local councillors." It was alleged that Wai, along with a recruit named Matthew Trickett, received payments directly from the HKETO bank account.
Incident at a West Yorkshire Residence
Another alleged target was Monica Kwong, who left Hong Kong in 2023 and was accused of fraud by her employer. Regardless of whether Ms. Kwong was "set up" as she claimed, Mr. Atkinson asserted that the defendants took "the law into their own hands" and acted "as if the UK law was of no relevance." After locating her residence in Pontefract, West Yorkshire, they assembled a team to access her home using "underhand means, deception and then force to achieve their ends."
Surveillance was conducted, followed by an attempt to trick their way into her home by posing as electricians repairing a fuse and pouring water under the front door to simulate a flood. Upon his arrest at Ms. Kwong's home, Wai allegedly possessed his warrant card as a special police officer and a second, fake card identifying him as a superintendent.
Misuse of Official Systems and Further Allegations
Wai is accused of misconduct in a public office by abusing his access to the Home Office computer system to search for names, including that of Ms. Kwong. In 2023, he allegedly threatened to arrest a student who confronted a Hong Kong diplomat at a protest outside the Guildhall in London, then entered the official's car despite having no police role. The same student later saw Wai at an event attended by the Chinese ambassador during a 2024 protest at Whitehall.
Evidence presented by Mr. Atkinson indicated that Wai was willing to use official systems for unauthorized searches for third parties between 2018 and 2020. He was part of a chatgroup called Eagle Point Human Resources Company, where he reported efforts to infiltrate pro-democracy groups. Another member, former Hong Kong Police chief superintendent Eddie Ma, allegedly arranged a £2,000 retainer with bonus payments for Wai to provide intelligence.
In their chats, they repeatedly referred to pro-democracy protesters as "cockroaches." Ma systematically used Wai as an intelligence source in the UK, even requesting monthly figures on the number of "cockroaches" arriving in the country in 2021. This relationship reportedly led Wai into direct contact with his co-accused, Bill Yuen.
Charges and Trial Proceedings
The defendants are jointly charged with assisting a foreign intelligence service between December 20, 2023, and May 2, 2024, and with foreign interference on May 1, 2024, by forcing entry into a UK residential address. Peter Wai, from Staines-upon-Thames, Surrey, and Bill Yuen, from Hackney, east London, have denied all charges. The trial at the Old Bailey is expected to last up to nine weeks, highlighting significant national security concerns and the extent of alleged foreign operations on British soil.
