Dual Nationals Convicted of Spying for Foreign Intelligence Services
兩名雙重國籍人士被判定為替外國情報機關從事間諜活動
Introduction
Two people with both British and Chinese citizenship have been sent to prison for illegally spying on pro-democracy activists and political figures in the United Kingdom.
兩名同時擁有英國與中國國籍的人，因在英國非法監視親民主人士與政治人物而被判入獄。
Main Body
During the trial at the Old Bailey, Chi Leung 'Peter' Wai and Chung Biu 'Bill' Yuen were found guilty under the National Security Act for helping a foreign intelligence service. Wai, who previously worked for the Border Force, the Metropolitan Police, and the Royal Navy, was sentenced to ten years in prison. Yuen, a retired Hong Kong police superintendent, received an eight-year sentence. The court found that the two men carried out 'shadow policing,' which meant they systematically tracked exiled activists and British politicians.
在舊 Bailey 法庭的審判中，紀良偉 (Chi Leung "Peter" Wai) 與袁彪 (Chung Biu "Bill" Yuen) 被判定在《國家安全法》下犯有協助外國情報機關的罪名。紀良偉先前曾在邊境管理局、倫敦警察廳與皇家海軍工作，被判處十年徒刑。袁彪是一名退休的香港警司，被判處八年徒刑。法院發現兩人進行了「影子警務」活動，意指他們有系統地追蹤流亡的活動人士與英國政治人物。
Furthermore, Wai was convicted of misconduct in a public office because he used Home Office computer systems to steal data on their targets. The investigation, led by Counter Terrorism Policing London, ended in May 2024 after the men tried to enter the home of an activist in West Yorkshire. The prosecution emphasized that this type of international repression is a serious violation of the UK's sovereignty and threatens the safety of people seeking protection in the country.
此外，紀良偉被判定在公職上失職，因為他利用內政部的電腦系統盜取目標人物的數據。此次調查由倫敦反恐警務部門領導，在兩人於 2024 年 5 月試圖進入西約克郡一名活動人士的家中後結束。控方強調，這種國際壓迫是對英國主權的嚴重侵犯，並威脅到在英國尋求保護的人士之安全。
Conclusion
The defendants are now serving their sentences, which represent the first convictions of this kind under the National Security Act.
被告目前正在服刑，這是《國家安全法》下首宗此類罪名的定罪。
Vocabulary Learning
⚡ The 'B2 Power-Up': Moving from Simple to Precise
At an A2 level, you say 'They did bad things' or 'They are in jail.' To reach B2, you must describe actions and results with precision. Let's look at how this article transforms simple ideas into professional English.
🗝️ The Concept: "Formal Result" Phrasing
In B2 English, we don't just say what happened; we use specific verbs to show the legal or official status of an event.
The Upgrade Path:
- ❌ A2: They went to prison. ✅ B2: They were sentenced to ten years.
- ❌ A2: The police found they were guilty. ✅ B2: They were convicted of misconduct.
- ❌ A2: This is a big problem for the UK. ✅ B2: This is a serious violation of sovereignty.
🛠️ Linguistic Tool: The 'Noun Phrase' Expansion
Notice how the text avoids simple words like "spying" and uses complex blocks of words. This is the hallmark of B2 fluency.
Compare these structures:
- Simple (A2): Spying on people.
- Advanced (B2): International repression
- Simple (A2): Following people secretly.
- Advanced (B2): Systematically tracked exiled activists
Coach's Tip: To sound more like a B2 speaker, stop using very + adjective. Instead of saying "a very bad crime," use a strong noun like "a serious violation."
🔍 Quick Analysis of "Shadow Policing"
This is a piece of specialized vocabulary. While you might not use it every day, understanding that an adjective ("shadow") can modify a noun ("policing") to create a new concept is a key mental shift for intermediate learners. It moves you from learning words to understanding systems.