A Sunderland GP has been sentenced to 31 years in prison for the attempted murder of his mother's former partner, who he saw as an obstacle on the path to inheritance.
Thomas Kwan, 53, of Brading Court, Ingelby Barwick, Stockton-on-Tees, changed his plea on the second day of his attempted murder trial at Newcastle Crown Court.
During the prosecution opening Peter Makepeace KC described Kwan's audacious plot to murder his mother's former partner, 71-year-old Patrick O'Hara, by injecting him with the pesticide methyl iodide.
In a plot befitting a Hollywood blockbuster, the depraved medic donned a disguise and assumed a false identity to attend the home Mr O'Hara shared with his mother, 73-year-old Jenny Leung.
Under the guise of community nurse Raj Patel, a heavily disguised Kwan was able to secure entry to the central Newcastle property and undertake a medical examination of Mr O'Hara.
After almost an hour the fake nurse concluded his consultation by administering what he said was a covid booster jab. Mr O'Hara immediately winced in pain as the noxious chemical methyl iodide entered his bloodstream.
In faked broken English "Raj Patel" made his excuses and made good his escape, reassuring his patient that localised pain was perfectly normal.
Mr O'Hara was left with the debilitating, flesh-eating condition necrotising fasciitis as a result of Kwan's noxious ministrations. He spent almost two months in hospital recovering from the ordeal. His relationship with Ms Leung has also ended in the intervening months.
You can read more about this astounding plot in my earlier article.
Speaking in a victim personal statement, Mr O'Hara said: "Overall, this incident should have been the end of me. The nature of what had occurred to my body has left me speechless.
"Had it not been for medical intervention I am positive that not only would I have lost my left arm, but my life as well.
"I feel incredibly guilty and fearful that some day Thomas will be released from prison and I am petrified that he will cause harm to my loved ones as a result of me assisting the police in his prosecution."
Mr O'Hara concluded: "I hope that Thomas is held accountable for the despicable crime he has committed against me."
Mrs Justice Lambert, sentencing on 6th November 2024, described Kwan as being a dangerous offender who was obsessed with money.
She told him: "By your masquerade you struck at the very heart of public confidence in the healthcare system."
Kwan was jailed for 31 years and 5 months, of which he must serve two-thirds in custody before being considered for parole.
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