Fashion model wins retrial for murder

A 21-YEAR-OLD trainee fashion model who was sentenced to death for murdering his 19-year-old friend won a retrial in the Court of Appeal yesterday.

The court heard that the trial judge had misdirected the jury.

Mr Robert Forrest, counsel for Lai Hon-man, said the defence of provocation was not put properly to the jury by Mr Justice Gall last September.

The judge told the jury that the defence had to prove provocation. He should have said that the Crown had to prove that Lai was not provoked.

Senior Crown Counsel Mr Darryl Saw conceded problems with the summing-up, but opposed the appeal.

Mr Justice Macdougall, Mr Justice Nazareth and Mr Justice Sears ordered a retrial.

Lai admitted killing Mr Shing Wai-keung, but denied murder.