A bag-snatcher whose botched attack last year led to the death of a well-known ballet teacher was jailed for 10 years yesterday.
Wong Pak-hung, 45, unemployed, pleaded guilty in the Court of First Instance to manslaughter in the death of Mimi Chui Moon-fan (pictured), 44, the principal of the Christine Liao School of Ballet, on July 13 last year, and one count of robbery.
Chui was walking up a flight of stairs near the Sau Mau Ping Estate playground on the evening of July 8 when Wong came up behind her and grabbed her handbag. Chui lost her balance and fell, hitting her head on the stairs.
A passer-by found Chui lying on the stairs at 11.30pm, gasping but unresponsive. She was rushed to hospital and died five days later from severe head injuries. She is survived by her husband, a 15-year-old son and a seven-year-old daughter.
Appealing for leniency, Wong's lawyer Peter Cahill said his client did not expect the fatal consequences when he robbed Chui.
But Mr Justice Andrew Macrae said Chui's fall and injury were 'hardly unpredictable' given the element of surprise involved. He said Chui was pulled backwards and lost her balance as she walked up the stairs.