UK Sentences Two Chinese-British Nationals to Prison for Spying on Hong Kong Dissidents

London's Old Bailey sentenced former Border Force officer Peter Wai to 10 years and retired Hong Kong police superintendent Bill Yuen to eight years on Thursday under the 2023 National Security Act, the first such prosecution 123. A jury convicted both men in May; Wai was additionally found guilty of misconduct in public office for searching government databases to identify dissidents at Yuen's direction 12. Yuen served as office manager at Hong Kong's Economic and Trade Office in London, and targets included Nathan Law, pro-democracy activists, and British politicians including former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith 123. The Hong Kong government denied any involvement, calling the prosecution "groundless" and asserting British authorities had "manipulated judicial procedures to secure conviction" 23.