Man guilty of biting off councillor's ear remanded pending victim trauma reports

A jobless man was yesterday found guilty of biting off the left ear of then-district councilor Andrew Chiu Ka-yin and stabbing a couple in Tai Koo Shing two years ago.

Joe Chen, 51, was remanded to custody until February 9 pending psychiatric and psychological assessments plus trauma and medical reports on three victims.

He was convicted on four charges after around four hours of deliberation by a jury of four women and three men in the High Court.

The charges included three counts of wounding with intent for biting off former Eastern district councilor Chiu's ear and stabbing Louis Wan Ho-lun and his wife, Leung Pik-kei, outside Cityplaza mall at Taikoo Shing on November 3, 2019.

Chen was also convicted on a count of common assault on Leung's cousin, Leung Ying-ying.

The jury unanimously agreed on three charges but was 6-1 on a count of wounding with intent for hurting Leung Pik-kei.

High Court judge Judianna Barnes said Chen will likely receive a prison sentence, and "the term will not be short, to be honest."

Speaking outside the High Court, Wan said: "I will not forgive the defendant."

Wan said the attack involved his family and he did not believe an apology from Chen in court had been sincere. He thought it was simply a ploy adopted by Chen to try to put himself in a better light.

The court heard earlier that Chen shouted "Liberate Taiwan" in Putonghua outside Cityplaza as Wan, his wife and Leung Ying-ying walked past him.

After Wan swore and asked Chen what he'd just said, Chen took out a 19.5-centimeter knife and slashed Wan's stomach and stabbed him in the back.

Chen also used the knife to slash Wan's wife in the back.

Leung Ying-ying attempted to separate Chen from her cousin but was hit on the head by Chen. Then Chen used his backpack to swing at Leung and pulled her hair when she fell to the ground.

People inside Cityplaza, including Chiu, went to the scene after hearing the victims shout.

Chiu asked Chen why he was attacking people and Chen replied: "I am not hitting people, I am hitting dogs." He then used his right foot to step on Leung Ying-ying's head.

Chiu told security guards to get a grip on Chen, but Chen was able to break away from the guards and dashed toward the crowd.

Chiu attempted to block Chen, but Chen grabbed Chiu by the head and bit off his left ear.

Wan was meanwhile bleeding profusely after suffering multiple knife wounds to the stomach, neck, left shoulder and back while his wife's back was slashed five times.

And surgery to reattach Chiu's detached ear was unsuccessful. He is now unable to wear an ear-loop face mask, it was noted.

Chen had previously said in court that he had drunk three cups of Chinese white wine and up to three cans of beer on the day of the incident.

On his way home from Kornhill estate in Quarry Bay, Chen said, he heard people shouting "Liberate Hong Kong" so he shouted "Liberate Taiwan," which led to two women scolding him, someone grabbing at him and a man attacking him.

Chen said he felt scared and nervous and his mind went blank. He was already at the hospital with his hands cuffed when he recovered his senses.

Police told him he had hurt somebody, Chen said, but he did not recall that.

In guiding the jury, Barnes said being drunk is not a justification for assaulting and injuring people.

She said the jury should consider if Chen's mind had turned blank how he had been able to voice political opinions that differed from those of others at the scene.

Barnes also highlighted for jury members the victims' injuries and their aftermath, such as when Wan had to go into a hospital's intensive care unit and receive intubation.

And Wan's wife had to receive treatment from a clinical psychologist after the incident.

During the trial, Barnes had expressed concern that the performance of Chen's lawyer might hinder him getting a fair trial.

She had also asked Chen's legal team to consider disbanding the jury.

Chen had then hired an additional barrister, Arthur Luk Yee-shun, as lead counsel.

maisy.mok@singtaonewscorp.com