Why is Chung Biu Yuen in prison? Chung Biu Yuen, 65, a former head of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in London, was convicted on 7 May 2026 of assisting a foreign intelligence service by conducting surveillance on UK-based Hong Kong pro-democracy activists. He was remanded in custody following the verdict and awaits sentencing, facing up to 14 years in prison.
Who Is Chung Biu Yuen?
Chung Biu Yuen, known as “Bill” Yuen, is a 65-year-old former Hong Kong police officer who later served as the head of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) in London — an official body representing Hong Kong’s government in the United Kingdom. In that role, he was in a position of trust and had access to official channels and government contacts. He is one of the first people to be convicted of spying for China in Britain, in what has been described as a landmark national security case.
What Did He Do?
Prosecutors at the Old Bailey established that between December 2023 and May 2024, Chung Biu Yuen received instructions from Hong Kong authorities to carry out surveillance on UK-based pro-democracy activists and dissidents — people who had fled Hong Kong following the introduction of the controversial National Security Law in 2020. He allegedly passed those instructions down to Chi Leung “Peter” Wai, who worked for the UK Border Force, directing him to conduct unauthorised surveillance operations against the targets. The operation was uncovered by UK counter-intelligence, and both men were arrested and charged under the National Security Act 2023 — legislation specifically designed to tackle state-sponsored threats to the UK.
The case has significant diplomatic implications given that it directly implicates an official Hong Kong government body. Hong Kong authorities denied any connection to the case following the verdict.
The Conviction
On 7 May 2026, a jury at the Old Bailey found Chung Biu Yuen guilty of assisting a foreign intelligence service by conducting unauthorised information-gathering and unlawful surveillance in the UK to benefit China. The case is historically significant — it represents one of the first successful prosecutions under the National Security Act 2023 and the first conviction of individuals acting as Chinese intelligence agents in the UK. The Crown Prosecution Service hailed the verdict as a landmark moment in the UK’s efforts to protect its citizens from foreign state interference.
What About Chi Leung Wai?
Chi Leung “Peter” Wai, 40, who worked as a UK Border Force officer, was also convicted at the same trial on 7 May 2026 of the same offence — assisting a foreign intelligence service. His role in the operation was to carry out the on-the-ground surveillance against the Hong Kong dissidents on UK soil. He was acting under the direction of Chung Biu Yuen. Both men have been remanded in custody following the verdict and will be sentenced at a later date. A third man, Matthew Trickett — a former British Royal Marine who had also worked as an immigration officer — had been charged alongside the two men but was found dead in a suspected suicide before the trial concluded.
What Happens Next?
Chung Biu Yuen and Chi Leung Wai face sentencing following their conviction. The maximum sentence for assisting a foreign intelligence service under the National Security Act 2023 is 14 years in prison. Given the severity of the offending — which involved the abuse of a senior official position to target vulnerable dissidents on UK soil — legal analysts expect substantial custodial sentences. The case has been watched closely by the UK government, by Hong Kong diaspora communities, and by intelligence services across allied nations. For context on how high-security prisoners are managed in the UK, see our guide on Category A prisons.
For guidance on the UK prison system more broadly, including what happens during remand, visit our remand prisoner guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Chung Biu Yuen in prison?
Chung Biu Yuen is remanded in custody after being convicted on 7 May 2026 of assisting a foreign intelligence service — specifically directing the surveillance of Hong Kong pro-democracy activists living in the UK on behalf of Chinese authorities. He faces up to 14 years in prison and is awaiting sentencing.
What did Chung Biu Yuen do?
As head of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in London, Chung Biu Yuen received instructions from Hong Kong authorities to spy on UK-based pro-democracy activists. He passed those instructions to a UK Border Force officer who carried out the surveillance. The operation took place between December 2023 and May 2024.
Was Chung Biu Yuen working as a spy?
A jury found him guilty of assisting a foreign intelligence service — making him one of the first people to be convicted of acting as a Chinese intelligence agent in the UK. The conviction was brought under the National Security Act 2023, which was designed to tackle state-sponsored espionage and interference in the United Kingdom.
Who is Chi Leung Wai?
Chi Leung Wai, also known as Peter Wai, is a 40-year-old man who worked for the UK Border Force. He was convicted alongside Chung Biu Yuen on 7 May 2026 of assisting a foreign intelligence service by carrying out surveillance operations against Hong Kong dissidents in the UK under the direction of Yuen. He is also remanded in custody awaiting sentencing.
What sentence does Chung Biu Yuen face?
Chung Biu Yuen faces a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison under the National Security Act 2023 for assisting a foreign intelligence service. His sentencing date has not yet been confirmed. He was remanded in custody following the jury verdict on 7 May 2026.
