The death of a former Royal Marine accused of assisting the Hong Kong intelligence service is not being treated as suspicious, police say.
Matthew Trickett, an immigration enforcement officer and private investigator, was found dead in Grenfell Park in Maidenhead, Berkshire, at around 5.15pm on Sunday after a report from a member of the public.
Officers attended and started emergency treatment, but the 37-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene.
Trickett, from Maidenhead, was one of three men charged with offences under the National Security Act. He had appeared at Westminster magistrates court alongside co-defendants Chi (Peter) Leung Wai and Chung Biu Yuen on 13 May.
On Friday, Thames Valley police said Trickett’s death was not being treated as suspicious. A spokesperson said: “On Tuesday, formal identification was completed by his majesty’s coroner and confirmed the deceased man as Matthew Trickett, aged 37, from Maidenhead.
“On Wednesday a Home Office postmortem was completed on behalf of his majesty’s coroner. As a result of this and further inquiries conducted by detectives, we can confirm the death is not being treated as suspicious. Thames Valley police is now preparing a file for the coronial process.”
The spokesperson added that Trickett’s family was being supported by specialist officers.
Earlier on Friday, a hearing at the Old Bailey heard that the case against Trickett had been formally closed. The prosecutor, Alistair Richardson, said the Crown Prosecution Service had notified the court that the case against Trickett would be formally “discontinued”.
He said: “As has widely been reported, Matthew Trickett died on May 19 this year. The cause of his death is currently given as unexplained. His death has been confirmed by the coroner.”
