UK court convicts two men over spying for China linked to Hong Kong activists
A UK court has found two men guilty of spying for China in a case involving surveillance of Hong Kong pro-democracy supporters and politicians.
Chi Leung Wai and Chung Biu Yuen were convicted at the Old Bailey of assisting a foreign intelligence service, with jurors reaching majority verdicts after a nine-week trial.
Wai was also found guilty of misconduct in public office over unauthorised searches of Home Office databases.
Wai worked for Border Force at Heathrow airport and volunteered as a City of London special constable.
Yuen was based in London at the Hong Kong Economic Trade Office, which the court heard was treated as an extension of the Hong Kong government in the UK.
The case is significant because the men were described as the first people in British history to be convicted of spying for China.
The prosecution said the pair carried out a "shadow policing" operation aimed at dissidents and other targets.
The court heard that Wai gathered intelligence on Yuen's instructions and that the targets included Nathan Law, an exiled Hong Kong politician and pro-democracy activist.
The jury was also told that Wai infiltrated Hong Kong pro-democracy groups and sought information on British politicians.
