Sunderland GP admits trying to kill mother's partner with fake Covid jab

Dr Thomas Kwan attempted to kill Patrick O'Hara, 71, during a visit to his home on St Thomas Street in Newcastle which he shared with the defendant's mother.

The doctor's trial began at Newcastle Crown Court last Thursday, October 3, with prosecutors describing it as an "extraordinary case."

Kwan initially had attempted murder and grievous bodily harm assault.

However, after a delay in proceedings, Kwan today, October 7, pleaded guilty to attempted murder.

The 52-year-old forged NHS documents, hid his face, and used false number plates to con his victim into thinking he was due a booster injection.

Dr Kwan travelled to Mr O'Hara's address and administered the jab, which contained iodomethane, a type of pesticide, while hidden behind a mask and glasses.

He admitted administering a noxious substance at an earlier appearance.

Kwan will now be sentenced a week on Thursday, October 17.

After Kwan re-entered his plea, Mrs Justice Lambert asked the jury to return a guilty verdict to attempted murder.

The judge then thanked the jurors for their efforts.

Kwan sat with his head bowed during the hearing during which he was told a pre-sentence report will be needed before he is sentenced.

Last week jurors heard that the 53-year-old visited Mr O'Hara at the pensioner's home on St Thomas Street in Newcastle which he shared with Kwan's mother.

Prosecutors described the case as "extraordinary" and said Kwan forged NHS documents, covered his face, and used false number plates to con his victim into thinking he was due a booster injection.

Kwan travelled to Mr O'Hara's address and administered the jab, which contained iodomethene, a type of pesticide, while hidden behind a mask and glasses.

Jurors were told he remained undetected by both Mr O'Hara and his own mother Jenny Leung, during the 45-minute stay.

The court heard Mr O'Hara felt immediate pain in his arm but his concerns were eased by Kwan who told him the discomfort would ease.

But his condition deteriorated and the pensioner was left fighting for his life in hospital as he battled a rare flesh-eating infection caused by the jab.

Prosecutor Peter Makepeace KC said: "Mr Kwan used his encyclopaedic knowledge of, and research into, poisons to carry out his plan.

"That plan was to disguise himself as a community nurse, attend Mr O'Hara's address, the home that Mr O'Hara shared with the defendant's mother, and inject Mr O'Hara with a dangerous poison under the pretext of administering a covid booster injection.

"It was a very carefully planned scheme. It involved Mr Kwan forging National Health Service documentation to lure Mr O'Hara, the intended victim to his plan.

"It involves him adopting a personal disguise to shield his identity from his victim and his mother.

"It involved the falsification of number plates on his car to try to evade detection. It involved him using false details to book into a local hotel to use as the base for his operation.

"It was an audacious plan. It was a plan to murder a man in plain sight.

"It was a plan to murder a man right in front of his own mother, that man's life partner."

Mr Makepeace told the court that Kwan and his mother had a "strained relationship" partly caused by her son's expectation he would inherit from her.

Her will stated Mr O'Hara would inherit her home if she was to die before him.

The defendant was warned by police after he visited the couple's home in November 2022 not to "pester" Ms Leung about her finances.

But 12 months later, Mr O'Hara received a letter on NHS paper signed by a Mr Raj Patel informing him he was a priority for a visit by the Community Associated Nursing team.

"The letter was in fact a total fake," Mr Makepeace said.

"It was authored by Mr Kwan on his home computer, he had carefully copied and pasted the NHS logo.

"The National Health Community Associated Nursing Team did not in fact exist, it was his invention.

"Mr Raj Patel registered nurse did not exist, it was his invention.

"This letter was the first outward sign of the terrible scheme that Mr Kwan had been planning to execute."

A second NHS letter was then sent which offered Mr O'Hara a home visit on January 22 between 9am and 1pm.

He turned up wearing a long coat, tinted glasses, hat, mask and surgical gloves and remained for 45 minuets in the address undetected.

Jurors heard Kwan even took the blood pressure of both Mr O'Hara and his mother before delivering the injection.

Mr Makepeace said: "Immediately Mr O'Hara felt a terrible pain and he jumped back and he shouted 'bloody hell' and explained the immediate and intense pain in his arm.

"Ms Leung came downstairs again and commented in passing that the man had been the same height as her son, upon that comment, and for the first time, Mr O'Hara began to suspect something was very wrong.

"He went out into the street to see if he could catch up with the nurse up to get some reassurance.

Mr O'Hara's condition worsened and he was later diagnosed with the rare flesh-eating disease Necrotising Fasciitis.

Numerous operations were needed to remove parts of his arm tissue.

Subsequent searches of Kwan's home on Brading Court, Ingleby Barwick, Teesside, revealed numerous chemicals in his detached garage.

He also researched deadly chemicals including ricin and arsenic while texts on "how to kill a human" which were found.

Experts were left baffled as to what the substance used was but it was later believed to be iodomethane, a type of pesticide.