A Hong Kong court has sentenced a teenager with triad links to eight years in prison for splashing corrosive liquid on a Singaporean tourist last year in return for a promised payment of HK$10,000 (US$1,280).
Justice Andrew Chan Hing-wai of the High Court said on Thursday (Oct 29) that defendant Anson Kew, 19, had caused a “lifelong impact” on Jiang Wen, 36, who suffered second-degree burns in the attack on Jun 9, 2025.
Kew, who was aged 17 at the time, threw a corrosive solution on the victim as she got into a vehicle in Wan Chai.
She screamed in pain and collapsed after feeling an intense burning sensation on her face and legs. Kew, dressed in black and wearing a hat and mask, fled the scene.
The liquid used was sulfuric acid with a concentration of nearly 70 per cent, according to The Standard.
The attack left Jiang in hospital for 61 days. She underwent multiple procedures to remove damaged tissue and receive skin grafts before returning to Singapore for more medical treatment.
She was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and was left with permanent scars, The Standard reported the judge as saying.
Evidence showed that Kew had scouted the location of his attack on Burrows Street in Wan Chai days earlier.
Although he eventually turned himself in to police, he did not explain why he targeted his victim. It was not mentioned in court whether Kew knew her.
Citing a background report, Chan noted that the defendant admitted to a probation officer that the attack was a “paid job”, for which he was promised HK$10,000.
The court heard that he committed theft at age 14 and was later placed in a detention centre for juvenile offenders after breaching probation terms. He dropped out of school around the age of 16.
The report said Kew had a history of drug use and was associated with triad societies, despite denying membership.
For the present case, Kew pleaded guilty to one count of throwing corrosive fluid with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
Chan said Kew was a “money-oriented” person and his motivation to change was “questionable”.
“He admitted that he committed the offence not because of anything but for the desire for money,” he said.
The judge added that the “carefully planned” attack had left a great physical and psychological impact on the victim.
Medical reports showed that about 10 to 11 per cent of her body surface suffered burns, mainly her face and limbs.
Chan adopted a starting point of 12 years’ imprisonment before reducing the sentence by one-third for Kew’s guilty plea.
