Doctor who tried to kill his mother's partner to be sentenced
Thomas Kwan came up with an elaborate plot involving a fake Covid jab.
Last updated 17th Oct 2024
A GP from Ingleby Barwick's been told to expect a substantial jail term after admitting a plot to kill his mam's partner in Newcastle.
53 year old Thomas Kwan hatched an elaborate plot in January of this year and will be sentenced today at Newcastle Crown Court (17th Oct)
He switched the number plates on his car, forged NHS documents, checked into a hotel under a fake name, and disguised himself as a nurse.
Kwan arranged to visit Patrick O'Hara at his Newcastle home on January 22.
He wore a disguise – including a wig and fake facial hair – along with a medical mask so that his mother and her then partner, wouldn’t be able to recognise him.
In the hours after receiving the injection, the victim became seriously unwell, with a serious skin condition developing around the injection area. He was later admitted to hospital after initially visiting his GP.
On presenting several letters for the medical appointment at which he was given the injection, hospital staff discovered they were bogus and informed Northumbria Police.
The victim has since had to have numerous operations, including skin grafts to repair the extensive damage the poisoning caused to his body. He has been left with life-changing injuries following the incident.
Kwan was a partner at the Happy House GP surgery in Sunderland.
The practice has confirmed that it carried out its own investigation as soon as the allegations emerged.
A spokesman for Happy House Surgery said: "Dr Kwan left the practice following his arrest. Once Dr Kwan was arrested, we carried out an audit of our practice records. We are satisfied that this was an unrelated, personal matter and at no point did Dr Kwan pose a threat to any of our patients at Happy House."
The officer in charge of the case, Detective Chief Inspector Jason Henry, of Northumbria Police, said: “First and foremost, I want to recognise and praise the victim in this case.
“He has been through a horrendous ordeal and his life has been changed forever.
“He has shown incredible strength throughout the investigation and we will continue to support him in any way that we can.”
Detective Chief Inspector Henry added: “Thomas Kwan’s actions were utterly despicable.
“He used his experience as a doctor to deceive the victim into thinking the medical appointment he had arranged was genuine before administering the poison which has caused him unimaginable pain and suffering.
“Thanks to the co-operation of the victim and the dedicated work of our team of officers during the past 10 months, we have been able to uncover Kwan’s scheming.
“Kwan thought he had covered his tracks by using fake registration plates on his vehicle and disguising himself during his visit to administer the injection.
“However our quick-time enquiries managed to uncover his plotting and within two days of the offence he was in custody.
“The weight of evidence faced by Kwan was overwhelming and he has now admitted attempted murder.
“While nothing can change the impact of Kwan’s actions on his victim, we do hope the fact he has been brought to justice will help them move on with their life.”