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Brian Wong

A psychiatric outpatient hacked to death his elderly neighbour at a Hong Kong public housing estate three years ago to stop him from making “irritating noises”, a court has heard.
Ho Sai-yu on Tuesday admitted killing Wong Hang-lam, 84, at Heng On Estate in Ma On Shan on September 27, 2021, despite holding no personal grudges against him.
The 38-year-old told police he intended to kill anyone coming out from the flat near his 19th-floor home, claiming he could no longer bear the purported disturbance being caused by the family next door.
He pleaded guilty at the High Court to a count of manslaughter, after prosecutors agreed to reduce the original murder charge on the basis that he had suffered an “abnormality of mind” at the time of the offence.
The court heard Wong was just steps away from his flat when Ho rushed out of his residence and pounced on the victim while carrying a 40cm (16 inches) meat cleaver.
The accused repeatedly swung his weapon at Wong’s head and upper body, chopping off both of the victim’s thumbs in the process.
The frenzied attack was witnessed by three other neighbours, including Wong’s wife, who was standing at the family home’s doorstep bidding her husband goodbye.
Wong was taken to Prince of Wales Hospital in Sha Tin, where he was certified dead at 2.14pm.
The defendant was arrested shortly before 4pm after he dropped his weapon, went for a stroll in Tsuen Wan in his bloodstained clothes, then took a taxi to the same hospital looking to consult a doctor.
Ho told police he was “out of control” when he attacked Wong because he felt annoyed and irritated by noise coming from the flats above and beside his home.
A postmortem examination found at least 45 cut wounds on Wong’s body, some of which were believed to have led to massive blood loss and subsequent circulatory collapse and respiratory failure.

A background search found Ho had been an outpatient at Prince of Wales Hospital since being diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2018.
Two government psychiatrists testified that Ho had experienced a relapse of the mental health condition at the time of his offence.
The court heard Ho was no stranger to the law, having previously been convicted of wounding others, causing criminal damage and triad-related offences.
Madam Justice Anna Lai Yuen-kee said the court would consider the government psychiatrists’ recommendations in deciding whether a hospital order was appropriate.
She adjourned sentencing until September 30 pending two updated psychiatric reports and a background assessment on the accused.
The defendant remains incarcerated at Siu Lam Psychiatric Centre in Tuen Mun.
Murder carries a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment. Those convicted of manslaughter, by comparison, can usually avoid a life sentence.


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The frenzied attack was witnessed by three other neighbours. Photo: Warton Li

The incident took place at Heng On Estate in Ma On Shan. Photo: Google Maps

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News

Hong Kong

Law and Crime

Ho Sai-yu told police he killed Wong Hang-lam in 2021 because he could no longer bear noise coming from neighbour’s flat


Ho Sai-yu told police he killed Wong Hang-lam in 2021 because he could no longer bear noise coming from neighbour’s flat.


Hong Kong courts

Crime

Hong Kong society

Prince of Wales Hospital