Dr. Thomas Kwan, a general practitioner, is accused of attempting to murder Patrick O’Hara, his mother’s 70-year-old partner, after an incident on January 22 left Mr. O’Hara seriously ill. Dr. Kwan is willing to plead guilty to the lesser charge of unlawful wounding or causing grievous bodily harm, his legal team revealed.
The trial, initially set for July 29, has been postponed to October 2 due to the complexity of the investigation. Dr. Kwan, arrested in February, prompted a significant search of his Ingleby Barwick home involving emergency services in protective gear. The incident occurred in Newcastle, and Mr. O’Hara was not one of Dr. Kwan’s patients.
During today’s hearing at Newcastle Crown Court, Dr. Kwan admitted to injecting Mr. O’Hara with a substance, causing unintended serious injury. No formal charges were presented, and the defense may seek to dismiss the attempted murder charge at an August 7 hearing. A pre-trial review is set for September 10.
Judge Paul Sloan noted that Dr. Kwan would receive credit for indicating his guilt and advised that admitting any further offenses would result in a less severe penalty. Dr. Kwan remains in custody and will attend upcoming hearings via video link.