Ex-City Special Constable barred after spying conviction

Chi Leung 'Peter' Wai, a former Special Constable with the City of London Police, has been placed on the force's barred list. This follows his conviction and sentencing for serious offences related to spying on Hong Kong dissidents.

Criminal Conviction and Sentencing

In June, Mr Wai was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment after being found guilty of Assisting a Foreign Intelligence Service and Misconduct in Public Office. The trial at the Old Bailey concluded on May 7 this year. Mr Wai had resigned from his position as a Special Constable on April 30.

During his time as a Border Force officer at Heathrow, which began in 2020, Mr Wai accessed the Home Office computer system. He used this access to track individuals who were pro-democracy dissidents from Hong Kong. When arrested in May 2024, he was found to be in possession of a counterfeit card suggesting he was a Superintendent with the City of London Police, which he claimed was for impressing others.

Misconduct Hearing Outcome

An accelerated misconduct hearing was held on September 21 to examine allegations of discreditable conduct. Commissioner Peter O'Doherty, in a report detailing the decision, stated that Wai's actions amounted to gross misconduct. The Commissioner noted that the seriousness of the activities and the criminal conviction made continued service as a special constable impossible. The appropriate outcome, to maintain public confidence and uphold the integrity of the police service, would have been dismissal without notice. Consequently, Mr Wai has been directed to be placed on the barred list.

Detective Superintendent Thomas Hill, Head of the Professional Standards Department at the City of London Police, commented on the conviction. He stated that Mr Wai's conviction for offences against the National Security Act 2023 and Misconduct in a Public Office 'badly hurts trust and confidence in policing'. He added that Special Constables are entrusted with significant responsibilities and expected to uphold the highest standards of integrity and honesty, which Mr Wai breached. He will spend time in jail for these crimes and will be placed on the Police Barred List.

Associated Conviction

Also convicted in relation to these activities was Chung Biu 'Bill' Yuen, a former Hong Kong police officer. Mr Yuen was found guilty of Assisting a Foreign Intelligence Service and received an eight-year prison sentence. He had worked as the office manager of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in London and acted as Mr Wai's contact with Chinese authorities.

The City of London Police confirmed that Mr Wai's details will be placed on the Police Barred List, preventing him from serving as a police officer in the future.