An infamous general practitioner has confessed to a second murder plot aimed at his mother’s partner over a dispute involving her will.
Dr. Thomas Kwan, aged 54, admitted to attempting to murder Patrick O’Hara between September 15, 2022, and January 21, 2024. He also acknowledged administering a harmful substance, thallium, in wine bottles given to Mr. O’Hara.
During the trial at Newcastle Crown Court, prosecutor Peter Makepeace KC revealed that not all wine bottles were poisoned to prevent immediate suspicion and maintain Mr. O’Hara’s trust.
The court was informed that Mr. O’Hara unknowingly passed a poisoned wine bottle to his son-in-law, Torquil Gundlach. Kwan, already serving a life sentence for a prior murder plot against Mr. O’Hara, will face additional charges for this new offense.
Evidence uncovered on Kwan’s computer indicated a fabricated “Northern Wine and Drinks Tasting Gentlemen’s Club,” through which he sent poisoned wine bottles to Mr. O’Hara using false identities. The scheme involved sending some bottles without poison to avoid detection.
Analysis confirmed the presence of poison in two bottles, with a third bottle causing illness consistent with thallium poisoning. The deceptive delivery of the poisoned wine was part of the orchestrated murder attempt on Mr. O’Hara.
Kwan, now 54, must serve a minimum of two-thirds of his 31-year sentence before being eligible for parole, extending his imprisonment for over 20 years.
The court emphasized Kwan’s greed for monetary gain, rooted in his mother’s financial decisions that he perceived as unjust regarding his father’s inheritance. Kwan’s manipulation, including using NHS letters and exploiting his medical expertise, showcased his meticulous planning of the murder plot.
Driven by his desire for inheritance and wealth, Kwan’s cunning actions included spying on his mother through installed spyware and attempting to eliminate Mr. O’Hara for financial gains.
Despite the severe consequences endured by Mr. O’Hara from the poisoning, Kwan remained uncooperative with authorities, refusing to disclose the specific substance used in the lethal injection. His illicit procurement of poisons through a fake chemist firm further highlighted the premeditated nature of his crimes.
Ultimately, the toxic substance in the fake injection was identified as iodomethane, causing extensive damage to Mr. O’Hara’s body and necessitating drastic surgical interventions to save his life.