Man gets 12.5 years in jail for dousing ex-wife with drain cleaner in Hong Kong mall
- Chow King-man, 71, attacked Cheung Shing-fa, 50, at Kingswood Richly Plaza last year, in what the judge describes as one of the most serious cases of its kind
- Cheung suffered ocular damage and burns over 28 per cent of her body, leaving red scars on her face, scalp, chest, back and limbs even after a year
The High Court heard Chow King-man, 71, attacked Cheung Shing-fa, 50, out of blind jealousy on June 13 last year, after she started a new relationship as their marriage had fallen apart following a downturn in his renovation business that led to his bankruptcy.
Pre-sentencing reports revealed Chow “deeply” regretted what he did to Cheung, as he had “found his way to Jesus” while in custody and realised how wrong he was to mount the attack with the intention of killing her and committing suicide afterwards.
Hong Kong man admits in court to dousing ex-wife with drain cleaner
“This is a very sad case,” Mr Justice Poon Siu-tung said as he began sentencing on Thursday.
The judge said Chow’s cold-blooded attack at Kingswood Richly Plaza in Tin Shui Wai was violent “to the extreme” as he had chased after Cheung and repeatedly hurled the highly corrosive fluid on her face and body, pulling away her clothes and pushing her onto the ground.
No matter what the defendant had felt before the offence, it cannot justify to the slightest degree the cold-blooded attack
Cheung suffered ocular damage and chemical burns over 28 per cent of her body, leaving red scars on her face, scalp, chest, back and limbs that have shown little improvement even after a year.
Her psychological impact assessment also revealed that she was feeling ashamed in her social and romantic relationships, and losing functional independence and financial stability.
“What the defendant did ruined Madam Cheung’s life,” the judge said.
Chow previously pleaded guilty to one count of throwing corrosive fluid with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm, an offence punishable by life imprisonment.
He also admitted two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, for splashing a passer-by with the liquid during the attack, and for punching Cheung in a separate incident on May 17 last year on the platform of Hang Mei Tsuen Light Rail transit station.
Hong Kong woman attacks sleeping husband with knife before committing suicide
In mitigation, defence counsel Anita Ma said the couple married in mainland China and divorced in 2009 only to apply for government subsidy, but a drastic drop in their living standards following Chow’s bankruptcy eventually ruined their relationship.
Cheung allegedly had an affair with a doctor and was said to have despised Chow for his poverty and old age, teaching their two children to hate him.
But the judge said these unfortunate events could hardly be a significant mitigating factor for a crime of this gravity.
“No matter what the defendant had felt before the offence, it cannot justify to the slightest degree the cold-blooded attack on Madam Cheung,” he said. “This is definitely one of the most serious cases of its kind.”
