Thomas Kwan planned his attempted murder well in advance, making sure to don a cunning disguise before administering a fake Covid jab to his intended victim – even his own mother was convinced
Wicked Dr Thomas Kwan concocted a cunning disguise to kill his intended victim, Patrick O’Hara, and even his own mother was convinced.
As explored in tonight’s Channel 5 documentary Inheritance: Murder in the Family – The Thomas Kwan Affair, the 53-year-old became incensed after learning his mother, Jenny Leung, had granted her long-time partner Patrick a “life interest” in her property. This meant that if she died first, the house could only be sold if Patrick gave his permission.
Wanting to protect his own inheritance, money-minded Kwan began plotting Patrick’s murder, striking on the morning of January 22, 2024. In a plan that would later be described as “audacious” in court, the brazen medic travelled to Jenny and Patrick’s Newcastle home in his family Toyota Yaris, making sure to use false number plates.
The plan had been some time in the making. Kwan had already tricked Patrick into believing that this was an official visit by writing to him on forged NHS documents
Purported to be “Mr Raj Patel (RGN) of the Community Associated Nursing Team”, Kwan, 53, managed to convince 71-year-old Patrick that he was entitled to a home visit for a COVID-19 booster vaccination. Taking shocking measures to hide his true identity, Kwan wore a wig, glasses, medical mask, gloves, and even fake facial hair.
It was Patrick who opened the door and welcomed the “nurse” inside shouting up to Jenny that they’d arrived. Using his medical knowledge to his sick advantage, Kwan took Patrick’s blood pressure and even samples of his blood and urine.
Shockingly, Jenny came downstairs while Kwan was carrying out his diabolical scheme, but didn’t recognise her son. She even asked if she could also have a blood pressure tests as she’d come off medication due to a rash. Even after he took the test, she had no idea what was really going on.
Kwan then administered Patrick’s ‘booster jab’ – which was, in reality, a toxic substance intended to kill him. The pain was awful, resulting in Patrick jumping back and exclaiming, “Bloody hell!”. Using an “Asian, broken English” accent, Kwan reassured Patrick that the pain he was experiencing wasn’t unusual.
As he left, Jenny commented that the nurse was about as tall as her son. At this point, Patrick began to get the feeling that something was wrong, but as he looked out, the person who’d treated him was already gone.
That night, Kwan stayed at a Premier Inn branch under a false name, stopping first at Greggs for something to eat.
Meanwhile, Patrick, who began to suffer excruciating pain immediately after receiving the injection, woke up the following day with blisters on his arm. Doctors subsequently diagnosed Patrick with necrotizing fasciitis, a potentially fatal flesh-eating disease. After multiple surgeries and several weeks spent in intensive care, Patrick fortunately pulled through, but his ordeal has left him suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Kwan, who changed his plea to guilty halfway through his trial at Newcastle Crown Court, was given a life sentence and ordered to serve at least 31 years and five months. Sentencing him in November, Judge Mrs Justice Lambert told the court that she had “no doubt” that the £140,000-a-year GP was motivated by “financial gain”.
Mrs Justice Lambert told Kwan: “Your intention of visiting the home was to administer a lethal injection of poison to Mr O’Hara on the pretence of administering a Covid booster. It was an audacious plan to murder a man in plain sight, and you very nearly succeeded in your objection.
“You were in the home of Mr O’Hara for 40 minutes and for some part of that your mother was also present and you took her blood pressure. Extraordinary though it seems, so trusting were they that neither recognised you under your disguise.”
Inheritance: Murder in the Family – The Thomas Kwan Affair airs on Channel 5 on Monday March 3rd at 10pm.
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