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SCMP Reporter

A DECORATOR went on trial yesterday for murdering three women each found strangled on the staircase of the building where they lived.

  Lam Kwok-wai, 22, has admitted killing the women but denies murdering them, claiming he was suffering from diminished responsibility.

  The victims, killed between February and May last year, were in lifts on their way home in the early hours when they were attacked by Lam.

 The High Court jury heard Lam was linked to the killings after DNA tests showed it was his semen on the victims' underwear.

  Lam was arrested on August 5, last year in Hunghom and when questioned he admitted the three killings, two of them in Tuen Mun.

  He also told police he had committed many rapes after he had been drinking.

  The hearing, before Mr Justice Bewley, continues today when the jury will be shown a video re-enactment of the attacks in which the women died.

  Opening the Crown's case, prosecutor Arthur Lok said the jury had to decide whether Lam was suffering from an abnormality of the mind which substantially impaired his responsibility for the killings.

  They will also hear medical evidence from both sides on Lam's state of mind.

  VICTIM 1 AGED 50, was last seen boarding a taxi to her home in Yau Oi Estate, Tuen Mun, at 4 am on February 24 after a game of mahjong.

  Her body was found later that morning on the staircase of the block where she lived. She was naked from the waist down and her handbag and jewellery were missing.

  Lam admitted he had held her by the neck to make her faint so that he could indecently assault her. It was only the following day he learned she had died.

  He said he had been drinking beer in the park at Yau Oi for a couple of hours when he saw the woman return home.

  He became very excited and wanted to have sex with her. He followed her into the lift and grabbed her by the neck.

  He dragged her to the staircase and he pushed her onto the floor and grabbed her neck again before indecently assaulting her.

  VICTIM 2 AGED 22, was found on April 14, in Tai Hing Estate, Tuen Mun. She was a disc jockey at a hotel and was last seen boarding a taxi to go home. She was found fully clothed but her handbag was gone. There was no sign of a struggle.

  Lam told police he had not wanted to kill her, but had wanted to have intercourse with her and had inadvertently used too much force. He said the woman lived in the next block to him and he saw her after he was returning from drinking in Tsim Sha Tsui.

  He had a 'sudden impulse' to have intercourse with her and got into the lift with her. When the doors opened, he grabbed her neck and pushed her to the stairs.

  She kept moving about so he grabbed her by the neck with both hands and she started to struggle.

  Then he realised the girl was not moving so he picked up her handbag and threw it in the bin and went home.

  He said he knew things had gone wrong this time.

  VICTIM 3 AGED 23, she was a public relations girl who worked in a karaoke bar in Mongkok. She lived in Hunghom with her boyfriend. She was last seen boarding a taxi at about 4.20 am on May 24.

  Her body was found the next morning on the staircase of the block where she lived. She was neatly clothed and nothing had been stolen.

  Lam told police he had been drinking and he saw the victim get out of a car and suddenly felt very excited.

  He said he followed her into a lift and squeezed her neck and told her not to make a noise, saying he would not hurt her. He took her to the staircase and told her to take off her clothes.

  He said he realised he was doing wrong again, but as he saw her strip, he got even more excited and had intercourse with her.

  He told police that she got dressed and he wanted to chat with her, but she slapped him several times across the face.

  He lost control and grabbed her neck with both hands and hit her head against the wall. She was motionless and he felt very confused.

  He said he had wanted to chat with her because he felt empty.



TUEN MUN KILLER ON TRIAL FOR 3 MURDERS