GP Admits Attempted Murder After Poisoning Partner with Fake Covid Jab
Thomas Kwan, a 53-year-old GP, admitted to attempting to murder his mother’s partner, Patrick O’Hara, by disguising himself as a nurse and injecting him with a deadly toxin disguised as a Covid booster shot. The court was told that Kwan had devised a complex plan to kill O’Hara, 72, in order to inherit his mother’s estate after her death.
The Hong Kong-born doctor had initially denied the charge but changed his plea after prosecutors revealed the full extent of the plot. Kwan had used counterfeit documents, shell companies, and disguises to carry out his plan. His knowledge of poisons and criminal methods made his plot one of the most intricate seen in recent years, according to prosecutors.
In November, Kwan sent a letter to O’Hara, who was 71 at the time, claiming he was eligible for a home-visit Covid booster jab. O’Hara, unsuspecting and grateful, welcomed the visit. Kwan arrived at his mother’s house wearing a long coat, flat cap, surgical gloves, medical mask, and tinted glasses. He conducted a 45-minute examination, even checking his mother’s blood pressure when asked.
Kwan then administered the fake jab, which caused O’Hara excruciating pain. He reassured his victim that this was a common reaction, but the next day, O’Hara’s arm was severely blistered and discolored. Doctors discovered that he had developed necrotising fasciitis, a life-threatening flesh-eating disease, which required part of his arm to be amputated.
Police traced Kwan through CCTV and discovered a stockpile of dangerous chemicals, including arsenic, liquid mercury, and castor beans, at his home. Though Kwan never revealed the exact poison he used, experts believed it was iodomethane, a toxic pesticide.
Kwan’s motives were tied to his strained relationship with his mother, who had promised O’Hara a place in her will to live in her home. This decision caused a rift between mother and son, culminating in Kwan’s financial obsession and attempt on O’Hara’s life.
Kwan had also planned alternative methods to kill O’Hara, including using documents that appeared to offer him free meals and drinks in recognition of his work. His actions were described by police as “utterly despicable,” with Northumbria Police praising O’Hara for his strength throughout the ordeal.
The Crown Prosecution Service called Kwan’s plot “one of the most elaborate criminal schemes in recent memory,” noting the extensive damage caused to O’Hara. Despite the severity of his crime, Kwan remained silent during his police interview, worsening the victim’s condition by not revealing the nature of the poison.
Kwan will be sentenced on October 17, facing a “substantial” prison term.
