A man was jailed for 91/2 years yesterday for 'squeezing the breath' out of his neighbour by standing on her throat.
A Court of First Instance jury found Lau Chuen-fat, 44, not guilty last week of the murder of Chau Siu-lee, 34, but guilty of manslaughter by reason of provocation.
Yesterday, as Mr Justice Michael Lunn jailed Lau over the killing - which happened on June 16 last year - he noted that Chau's provocation of Lau had been at the 'lower end of the scale'.
Lau showed no emotion during his sentencing.
The jury heard Lau had been drawn into a neighbourhood dispute. A friend and neighbour, Kwong Chau-kuk, banged on his door calling out for help, and saying Chau had gone crazy and was beating her.
Ms Kwong told the court the fight started when she walked past the communal kitchen area on the way to deliver her son's school lunch. She said Chau suddenly came at her, striking her on the hand and arm with a water pipe, as she tried to defend herself with an umbrella. Ms Kwong said she then ran into the village and roused a sleeping Lau to assist her.
Lau told the jury he had been angered when the noise outside woke him up, then was attacked by Chau with a stick when he opened the door.