CRIMINAL CASE NO. 386 OF 2009
COURT: Mr Lau, you have been convicted unanimously of one count of murder and one count of wounding with intent.
I do not intend to traverse the facts which have given rise to these charges and your convictions. It suffices to say that insofar as the count of murder is concerned, I have no choice in my sentencing process. The law provides that for a person in your circumstances, I must sentence you to life imprisonment, and that is what I do.
As far as the 2nd count of wounding is concerned, as I have indicated to your counsel, whilst the jury have properly convicted you of this charge on the basis that you intended, at the time, to stab not Madam Tai, who is the victim of that charge, but Mr Chan, who was the victim of the murder charge, nevertheless, your intention at the time was, if you had succeeded, to inflict upon him grievous bodily harm.
It is indeed fortunate insofar as Madam Tai is concerned that the injuries that she sustained in your attempt to stab Mr Chan were not serious, because they could have been a lot worse.
In the circumstances, I consider that the appropriate term of imprisonment is one of 4 years, and I will therefore, in respect of the 2nd count, order that you be imprisoned for a period of 4 years.