Chan had pleaded guilty to one count of throwing corrosive fluid with intent to burn over the September 18 incident involving his wife, Lee Fung-ming, 46.

The Court of First Instance heard Chan and Ms Lee had four grown children and were living in their Tin Yiu Estate flat at Tin Shui Wai.

But the relationship had been strained since 1989, when Ms Lee found out her husband had been having affairs.

On September 14 last year the pair again quarrelled as Chan tried to reconcile with his wife, who had moved to sleep on a separate bed.

Four days later, Ms Lee said they both needed to calm down and that she would move to her mother's place 'until he repented'.

It was then that Chan suddenly pulled out a bottle of drain cleaner - which contained 97 per cent sulfuric acid - and splashed it over his wife's face.

'The victim suddenly felt burning pain and immediately covered her face and turned her back, shouting for help,' the judge said. 'Chan then poured more liquid on the victim's back, and said, 'You go to hell'!'

Deputy Judge Fung said Chan ran from the house while Ms Lee rushed to the toilet to wash the fluid from her body and face.

The couple's eldest daughter rushed to the bathroom to help her mother. The court heard when she tried to call for an ambulance, the phone line was dead. She later found the phone had been unplugged.

The daughter was eventually able to call for help on her mobile phone.

Doctors said Ms Lee had second-degree burns to 13 per cent of her body and underwent a skin graft on October 24.

Under a cautioned police interview, Chan said he only intended to scare his wife with the fluid but 'out of impulse' poured it over her.

'Chan is now disowned by the children,' Deputy Judge Fung said. 'He is seldom visited by them in prison and this is a heavy punishment. And [Chan] still loves the victim.'