A psychiatric outpatient hacked to death his elderly neighbour at a Hong Kong public housing estate three years ago as a punishment for allegedly making “irritating noise”, a court has heard.
Ho Sai-yu on Tuesday admitted killing Wong Hang-lam, 84, at Heng On Estate in Ma On Shan on September 27, 2021, despite holding no personal grudges against him.
The 38-year-old told police he intended to kill anyone coming out from the flat near his 19th-floor home, claiming he could no longer bear the disturbance the family next door allegedly caused.
He pleaded guilty at the High Court to a count of manslaughter, after prosecutors agreed to reduce the original murder charge on the basis that he had suffered an abnormality of mind at the time of the offence.
The court heard Wong was just steps away from his flat when Ho rushed out of his residence and pounced on the victim while carrying a 40cm meat cleaver.
