Young mother unaware of ‘tentacles’ from Hong Kong, China ‘shadow policing’ trial told

Dual Chinese-British national Peter Wai, 38, and retired Hong Kong police superintendent Bill Yuen, 65, are on trial at the Old Bailey NewsUKCrimeYoung mother unaware of ‘tentacles’ from Hong Kong, China ‘shadow policing’ trial toldDual Chinese-British national Peter Wai, 38, and retired Hong Kong police superintendent Bill Yuen, 65, are on trial at the Old Bailey Emily Pennink Thursday 05 March 2026 17:43 GMTBookmarkBookmark popoverRemoved from bookmarksClose popoveropen image in galleryPeter Wai is charged with assisting a foreign intelligence service (Lucy North/PA) (PA Archive)For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsEmail*SIGN UPI would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy noticeA young mother in pink pyjamas was unaware of “tentacles” reaching out from Hong Kong before a team of operatives tried to trick and then force their way into her West Yorkshire home, a court has heard.Personal assistant Monica Kwong was allegedly targeted by UK Border Force official Peter Wai, known as Fatboy, on behalf of Chinese authorities.Wai, who was also a special constable with the City of London Police, had already accessed the Home Office computer system while off sick or on rest days to carry out research into Ms Kwong for money, jurors heard.Dual Chinese-British national Wai, 38, and retired Hong Kong police superintendent Bill Yuen, 65, are on trial at the Old Bailey on charges under the National Security Act.Jurors have heard how Wai was tasked by Yuen to engage in a “shadow policing” operation in the UK targeting Hong Kong dissidents and pro-deomcracy campaigners and British politicians on behalf of China.Their activities were exposed on May 1 2024 when they allegedly attempted to “take hold of” a former Hong Kong resident Monica Kwong, from her flat in Pontefract, West Yorkshire.Ms Kwong had left Hong Kong in 2023 with her young son amid accusations of fraud, which she said was a “set-up” by her influential employer.On Thursday, jurors were shown a series of videos as a team assembled by the defendants allegedly tried to trick and then forced their way in to her flat.On April 24, secretly recorded video footage showed Ms Kwong opening her door after responding to a knock from former fraud investigator Jason Davies who claimed he had lost his ID badge.She briefly appeared wearing pink pyjamas with her son around her legs before shutting the door again.At 6.47pm, Mr Davies reported back to fellow teammate Matthew Trickett: “Just been in. Mother answered door with son beside her. They were in PJs again.”open image in galleryPeter Wai is on trial at the Old Bailey alongside Bill Yuen (PA) (PA Archive)Trickett, 37, an immigration enforcement officer and ex-Royal Marine, relayed the information back to Wai who then passed it to Yuen, jurors heard.Prosecutor Duncan Atkinson KC told jurors: “Monica Kwong herself had been unaware of any of the surveillance until this point.“She recalled a man coming to her door looking for his ID.“Even then she did not appreciate that this was the tentacles reaching her from Hong Kong.”Over the coming days, the defendants redoubled their attempts to get into Ms Kwong’s home, with a view to ensuring her return to China, jurors heard.Mr Atkinson said the operation “involved persons connected with the Hong Kong authorities acting as if Pontefract were a town in China rather than Yorkshire”.In video on April 30, two black-clad men, allegedly Trickett and self-employed close protection officer Jonathan Dunn, were captured going to Ms Kwong’s door.They were accompanied by Ms Kwong’s ex-boss Tina Zou, wearing a black baseball cap, cream trenchcoat and orange and blue patterned backpack.She had flown in from Hong Kong early that morning and hung back in the corridor as Trickett hammered on Ms Kwong’s door saying “hello”, the court was told.After getting no response from Ms Kwong, Trickett posted a handwritten note under her door purporting to be from the “maintenance department” checking residents’ electricity boxes, the court heard.That evening, Wai, who had been with a Hong Kong contingent, allegedly messaged Trickett: “They are going to kick the door in. I am not getting involved.”Asked who would do that, Wai replied: “Themselves,” the court heard.open image in galleryBill Yuen arrives at the Old Bailey (Lucy North/PA) (PA Archive)Trickett went on to suggest using a camera on a “snake cable” under the door, which Wai ordered for delivery on May 1, jurors were told.On May 1, Trickett was filmed using the cable before pouring water under the door, claiming to be maintenance investigating a leak before the door was forced.After being arrested at Ms Kwong’s home, Wai allegedly had his warrant card as a City of London special police officer and a second – fake – card identifying him as a superintendent.Mr Davies explained that he had been instructed to undertake surveillance in Pontefract to “confirm the occupants of an address and take