A GANG of chopper-wielding thugs hacked an unarmed man to death in a triad related killing, the High Court heard yesterday. Chow Sik-wai, 28, attacked Lau Siu-kong, 28, with a beef knife a day after he and his friends beat up the victim's younger brother Lau Siu-fai, it was claimed. Lau Siu-kong, an alleged member of the Sun Yee On triad society, died from multiple injuries including chop wounds to his neck, chest and abdomen. Prosecutor Paul Dinan said Lau was killed on August 7, 1990, in the Ngau Tau Kok Estate, Kowloon, when he went to confront his brothers' attackers and 'settle old scores'. Mr Dinan told the court the injuries were so severe the gang must have intended to kill or at the very least seriously injure Lau. An order to stop Chow at immigration was placed immediately after the fatal attack, but he was smuggled out of the territory in a boat, the court heard. The defendant, who denies murder, was arrested in January this year while entering Macau from China. After the attack Lau told officers he believed his brother was a member of the Sun Yee On. In police interviews Chow admitted he was smuggled out of the territory by boat shortly after the chopping, but denied he had taken part. The trial before Mr Justice Stuart-Moore continues.