Man with 39 prior convictions gets life for murder

A man with 38 prior criminal convictions was sentenced to life imprisonment for the brutal murder of an elderly man in Sham Shui Po.

The 56-year-old defendant Cheung Kwok-fai was engaged in a dispute with a 70-year-old man on Nam Cheong Street in December 2021.

Evidence revealed that after the victim was knocked to the ground, Cheung continued to punch and kick him.

The elderly man suffered severe injuries to his internal organs and passed away in April 2022 after months of hospitalization.

The prosecutor noted Cheung had 38 prior convictions dating back to 1991, including drug trafficking, assaulting police officers, and wounding.

In her sentencing, judge Amanda Jane Woodcock described the case as a tragedy and condemned Cheung's actions as cruel.