The neighbour of poison plot doctor Thomas Kwan’s mother has spoken of his shock followingt the bizarre attempted murder.
Colin Falcus, whose flat is situated directly beneath Wai King Leung and her partner – the target of her son’s foiled murder plot in a Newcastle City Centre scenario – has expressed his astonishment at the crime carried out overhead. The Sunderland-based GP Dr Thomas Kwan faces sentencing after pleading guilty to attempting to kill Patrick O’Hara, with the drama unfolding at Newcastle Crown Court.
Colin, 64, described the unnerving sense of proximity to such an event: “It’s a funny feeling when it’s happened above you. We are in the same building. It’s bizarre to think he did that here. I have never heard anything like it.”
Having lived below the couple for roughly ten years, Colin told the Chronicle how they appeared to be obliging neighbours, noting Ms Leung’s generosity and Mr O’Hara’s recent retirement: “I have lived underneath them for 10 years. They were just a normal couple,” adding, “If she had anything in the house she didn’t need she would bring it down. She was a really generous lady.”
The trial of Kwan began at Newcastle Crown Court, where it was revealed that the GP had spent months meticulously planning his audacious plot to target Mr O’Hara, whom he viewed as an obstacle to his inheritance. Kwan tricked his 71 year old victim with counterfeit NHS letters, convincing him that a community nurse would visit his home to administer a Covid booster jab.
Disguised with a wig, fake facial hair and a mask, Kwan visited Mr O’Hara’s home himself. Once inside the St Thomas Street property, Kwan injected Mr O’Hara with a substance that induced a flesh-eating disease, leaving him in intensive care.
The court heard that Kwan left his Ingleby Barwick home in a Toyota Yaris fitted with false registration plates on the morning of January 22 this year. He arrived at The Gate car park in Newcastle at 2.31am and checked into The Premier Inn under the alias John Chan.
After arriving at his mother’s home, Mr O’Hara was subjected to a medical questionnaire, had his blood pressure checked and some blood taken. Kwan even measured his own mother’s blood pressure at her request.
Kwan then offered to administer a Covid booster to Mr O’Hara, which resulted in immediate pain and Kwan’s swift departure. As the pain in his arm intensified, Mr O’Hara grew suspicious.
He was prescribed antibiotics and painkillers at the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) and discharged. The following morning, he woke up to find his arm blistering and severely discoloured.
His GP immediately referred him back to the hospital, suspecting potential sepsis. Doctors were puzzled by what they identified as a rare and life-threatening flesh-eating disease.
Mr O’Hara underwent surgery to halt the spread of the infection, with “very considerable portions” of diseased flesh on his arm removed in multiple procedures. He spent several weeks in intensive care.
Meanwhile, a police investigation was underway, and Kwan was spotted on CCTV leaving his mother’s house, returning to the hotel, and finally going home after stopping for a bite at Greggs. Upon his arrest and subsequent search of his Ingleby Barwick home, officers discovered a variety of toxic, corrosive, hazardous or flammable chemicals including liquid mercury, thallium, sulphuric acid and arsenic in a detached garage.
It remains uncertain what exactly Mr O’Hara was injected with. Kwan later claimed it was iodomethane, also known as methyl iodide or “Mel”, predominantly used as a fumigant pesticide, the court heard.
Police uncovered a cache of items from a hard drive in Kwan’s home, which included a tutorial on concocting iodomethane, a police murder investigation manual in PDF format and a doctored ID with a picture of Kwan disguised.
Kwan, from Brading Court, Ingleby Barwick who had previously admitted to giving a noxious substance, was held on remand and will face sentencing later this month.
Colin revealed he was working at the RVI when Kwan executed his scheme. He found out later that his neighbour was critical in the same ward.
“He’s been really lucky”, Colin commented. The prosecution argued that the drive behind the attempted murder was “financial gain”. Colin concurs.
“It’s nothing but sheer greed, what else could it be,” he said. “He’s been a GP, he’s got his own house, he’s obviously got money. All he wanted was to get all the money if something happened to Jenny. He’s going to get a long time.”
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