Doctor jailed for poisoning mother’s partner over inheritance dispute

A general practitioner received a sentence of 31 years and five months in prison after disguising himself to inject his mother’s partner with a poison, an act stemming from a dispute over an inheritance. Thomas Kwan, aged 53, assumed the identity of a community nurse administering a coronavirus booster vaccination when he injected Patrick O’Hara, 71, with a toxin in Newcastle during January. Mr. O’Hara, who developed a life-threatening flesh-eating disease resulting in severe injuries, had previously testified at Newcastle Crown Court that he felt he had become a “shell” of himself. Kwan, who pleaded guilty to attempted murder following the initial day of his trial, was characterized as “calculated and callous” by the judge presiding over his sentencing. According to prosecutor Peter Makepeace KC, the general practitioner, employed at Happy House Surgery in Sunderland, dedicated months to orchestrating the “audacious” assault. The court was informed that Kwan was “obsessed” with financial matters and harbored anger because his mother, Wai King Leung, also known as Jenny Leung, had drafted a will in 2021 that allocated a portion of her Newcastle residence to her partner of 21 years. Mr. Makepeace stated that Kwan, a prosperous doctor residing in a substantial detached house in Ingleby Barwick with his spouse and young son, was driven solely by avarice. Years prior, the doctor had installed spyware on his mother’s computer to monitor her financial activities. On January 22, Kwan visited the residence of Ms. Leung and Mr. O’Hara on St Thomas Street, presenting himself as a community nurse named Raj Patel, having orchestrated the appointment via several falsified letters. He concealed his identity with a face mask and a hat, and had fabricated a false identification document where he had darkened his skin tone and worn a black wig along with a false beard and moustache. The general practitioner had traveled to Newcastle the preceding night in a vehicle equipped with false number plates and lodged at a nearby hotel using an assumed name. Towards the conclusion of his 45-minute visit, during which he communicated with a broken Asian accent and performed blood checks and health surveys, Kwan administered an injection to Mr. O’Hara’s arm. Mr. O’Hara reported experiencing an immediate “excruciating pain,” but his visitor assured him it was a normal response before departing swiftly. The victim’s suspicions were quickly aroused when Ms. Leung remarked that the visitor’s height matched that of her son. Mr. O’Hara remained hospitalized for five weeks at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary, where medical professionals excised substantial portions of diseased tissue in an urgent effort to prevent the necrotising fasciitis from extending beyond his arm. He required multiple skin graft surgeries and developed post-traumatic stress disorder, in addition to needing continuous physiotherapy. Following the sentencing hearing, Mr. O’Hara spoke outside the court, commending the NHS staff who saved his life and stating that justice had been served. Prosecutors theorized that Kwan employed a pesticide known as iodomethane, though various other poisons, including components for producing ricin, were discovered at his residence, alongside numerous books, recipes, and terrorism manuals pertaining to toxins. Investigators also uncovered evidence of a “back-up plan” that entailed a fictitious charity distributing complimentary food and wine. Judge Mrs. Justice Lambert characterized the plot as an “audacious” and meticulously planned scheme designed to “kill a man in plain sight,” which almost succeeded. She stated that Kwan was impersonating a community nurse to “administer a lethal injection” to his victim, and Mr. O’Hara had no cause to doubt the authenticity of his visitor. The judge remarked that the letters Kwan had forged were “sophisticated” and that Kwan gained access to Mr. O’Hara’s home in “the most calculated and callous way,” further noting that this act “struck at the heart of public confidence” in the NHS. She also mentioned that medical practitioners were perplexed by Mr. O’Hara’s symptoms, and that he sustained horrific injuries necessitating extensive medical care. “Fortunately he survived although he still suffers from the physical and psychological consequences of your attempt to kill him.” “It is clear he has been transformed from the tough stoical person he was before the attack.” Mrs. Justice Lambert noted that Mr. O’Hara experienced post-traumatic stress disorder, flashbacks, and had ended his relationship with Kwan’s mother. The court was informed that Kwan was born in Hong Kong, relocated to the UK at age 13 to attend boarding school, and subsequently pursued medical studies at Newcastle University. Mrs. Justice Lambert stated that Kwan’s actions were driven by a “continual obsession” with his mother’s estate, adding, “Your resentment and bitterness towards your mother and Mr O’Hara was all to do with money.” She observed that Kwan possessed a “morbid obsession” with poisons, had accumulated a “library of materials,” and conducted internet searches for iodomethane 97 times during January. The judge declared Kwan a “dangerous offender” who presented a significant risk of severe harm to Mr. O’Hara. The general practitioner was informed that he had demonstrated a “shocking level of distorted thinking, a distinct sense of entitlement and capacity for the most extreme behaviour in order to meet your own needs.”