Thomas Kwan Pleads Guilty to Attempted Murder After Poisoning Attack in Newcastle

A GP has pleaded guilty to attempting to kill his mother’s long-term partner by injecting him with a dangerous substance disguised as a Covid booster jab. Thomas Kwan, 53, admitted to the crime at Newcastle Crown Court after initially denying attempted murder, changing his plea after the prosecution presented their case.

Kwan, a Sunderland-based doctor, had meticulously planned the attack using his extensive knowledge of poisons, which he had studied in-depth. He posed as a community nurse and visited Patrick O’Hara, 72, at his home in Newcastle on January 22, 2023, with the intention of killing him. Kwan administered a toxic substance under the guise of giving O’Hara a routine Covid booster shot, causing the victim to experience severe pain immediately after the injection.

The victim, unaware of the plot, suffered a severe reaction, developing necrotising fasciitis, a rare and life-threatening flesh-eating disease, which required part of his arm to be amputated. Police initially suspected ricin as the poison used, but experts later indicated that iodomethane, a substance commonly found in pesticides, was more likely to have been involved.

Kwan’s actions prompted a major investigation, during which police discovered a stockpile of dangerous chemicals, including arsenic and castor beans, along with a recipe for ricin on his computer. The prosecution described Kwan’s motive as financially driven, suggesting that he believed O’Hara’s presence in his mother’s will, which could affect his inheritance, was a threat to his financial future.

The court heard that Kwan had forged NHS documentation, using a false identity to arrange the home visit, and even went so far as to install spyware on his mother’s computer to monitor her finances. His relationship with his mother had deteriorated over financial matters, including her decision to leave O’Hara part of her estate.

Kwan was arrested after CCTV footage traced his movements and linked him to the crime. His mother, Jenny Leung, had named O’Hara in her will, leading to a strained relationship with Kwan. Despite the horrific nature of the crime, Kwan’s defence lawyer acknowledged that he understood a lengthy custodial sentence was inevitable.

Mrs. Justice Lambert will pass sentence on Kwan next week after further assessments of his dangerousness, warning that a substantial prison term awaits the defendant.