Policeman did not check on suspected rapist after hearing snoring and verbal responses from cell, Hong Kong court told
- Inquest hears officer skipped at least five patrols, just hours before the man was found dead in custody
- Surveillance footage shows officer did not go near detention area, despite being required to patrol every 25 minutes
A policeman did not check on a Hong Kong rape suspect who later hanged himself in custody, telling an inquest on Friday he had heard snoring and verbal responses coming from the man’s direction.
The third day of the inquest into the death of Lam Wing-chun revealed that the officer, Tai Wai-hou, skipped at least five patrols to Lam’s cell just hours before he died at the Sau Mau Ping police station on the morning of May 11, 2017.
Tai’s senior sergeant, Yeung Kai-kwong, had missed three of his own patrols, the Coroner’s Court heard.
While there were records entered in the log book, surveillance footage showed on a few occasions Tai had not gone near the detention area where Lam was locked up, despite being required to patrol the cells every 25 minutes.
Tai on Friday took to the witness box to explain that he had gone near enough, albeit in an area beyond CCTV coverage.