When a death sentence was confirmed for a revenge attack on the son of the Hong Kong triad leader, 14

“A man who stabbed the 14-year-old son of a triad leader more than 100 times in an incident described as a ‘grisly act of revenge’ lost his appeal against a murder conviction yesterday,” the South China Morning Post reported on October 10, 1990.

“Fung Kam-keung, 28, was sentenced to death in August last year for the murder of Lee Shu-leung. He was also sentenced to eight years in prison for intentionally injuring Shu-leung’s 12-year-old sister Kit-hing at their home in Hing Man Township, Chai Wan, on June 23, 1988.

“Deputy President Judge Silke dismissed Fung’s appeal, rejecting counsel Gerard McCoy’s argument that an examination should have taken place before the trial judge ruled that the girl was old enough to give evidence.

“The Court of Appeal held that the trial judge, Mr Justice Barnes, clearly found the girl to be competent to give evidence and to be intelligent and mature. Mr Justice Silke said the girl’s evidence was admissible in the circumstances.

“Evidence showed that the children’s father, Lee Kam-yuen, was a member of the Fuk Yee Hing triad society and Fung’s ‘big brother.’ During the trial, it was revealed that there was discord between the two men when Fung tried to leave the society and demanded a severance payment of $50,000.

“On June 23, 1988, at around 11:30 p.m., Fung went to Lee’s house in Man Chak Lau, Hing Man Estate, where the children were sleeping alone. The girl heard Fung telling her brother while hacking that he wanted to kill him because ‘I hate your father.’

“It was later discovered that the boy had over 100 cuts. The girl had received six blows to the head and a broken shoulder.”