Newcastle grandad targeted by GP in poison Covid jab trick says he has been 'to hell and back'
Pensioner Patrick O'Hara outlined the devastating impact an attempt to murder him in Newcastle city centre by Dr Thomas Kwan has had on him
by Rob Kennedy · ChronicleLiveA grandad who was targeted by a murderous GP who tried to poison him in a Covid booster jab trick told a court he has been "to hell and back".
Dr Thomas Kwan hatched a chilling plot to murder Patrick O'Hara, his mother's partner, believing he was an impediment to him receiving some of his inheritance from his mother as quickly as he wanted, in the event of anything happening to her.
The Sunderland-based GP, 53, tricked the trusting 71-year-old with forged NHS letters about a healthcare professional visiting him to administer a Covid jab. He then disguised himself as a nurse, loaded a syringe with poison and injected Mr O'Hara with it in the presence of his mother, neither of them realising it was him. Mr O'Hara suffered immediate excruciating pain and was left with a flesh-eating disease that resulted in parts of his arm having to be cut away.
As money-obsessed Kwan's sentencing hearing for attempted murder, which he admitted, began at Newcastle Crown Court, Mr O'Hara went in the witness box to read a statement outlining the devastating impact the attack in January this year in Newcastle city centre has had on him.
The former environmental analyst said: "At roughly 9.45am on Monday 22nd of January my life completely changed forever. This is a date that I will never forget for as long as I shall live.
“On this date, a male attended my home address under the guise of a healthcare professional administering a Covid injection and injected me with a devastating toxic chemical, whilst at the same time having me believe that the injection was needed for my health and welfare.
“I remember that when that needle entered my arm, I felt instant, excruciating pain. I had never in my life felt anything that painful before. I instantly thought that something had gone wrong, however the reply from the physician was that I must have been having an allergic reaction.
“I trusted him saying that it was an allergic reaction as this person was a professional, he took the time to attend my home address, he worked for the NHS and therefore he was here, in my home, in order to give me the best possible care. I invited him into my place of safety and he was there for my benefit.
“At no point in time was I ever under the impression that this person portraying himself to be a healthcare professional was in fact my partner at the time’s son, Thomas."
He said it felt like his arm was on fire and he was given various medications by his doctor, none of which worked. He ended up being admitted to the high dependency unit at the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI), where he remained for a week before spending four weeks on a ward.
He said: “The doctors at the RVI informed me that I had been diagnosed with necrotising fasciitis and that my body was suffering from a flesh-eating disease. In order to cure this disease, I underwent three separate operations which required surgeons to cut away large parts of my left arm to ensure that all signs of the disease had been removed so that it wouldn’t continue to spread.
“In addition, I had to undertake two separate skin grafts which involved removing skin from my left thigh and placing it on my injured arm. In total I spent over five weeks in hospital. I can honestly say that there was never a day that went past when I did not feel in pain.
“Overall, this incident should have been the end of me. The nature of what had occurred to my body has left me speechless.
“Had it not been for medical intervention I am positive that not only would I have lost my left arm, but my life as well. In stark contrast, I am amazed at how resilient the human body is. I managed to recover quite well from the surgeries and even managed to get back to playing some rounds of golf.
“However, approximately two months ago, my health took a huge downturn, whereby I lost one-and-a-half stone in weight, I lost almost all my hair literally overnight.
“I began to hallucinate in addition to numerous other ailments. My referring GP informed me that he was of the opinion that these latest medical ailments were as a result of a delayed stress response from the incident occurring on the 22nd of January and at present I am being referred to additional departments to assist in finding a cure.
“As a result of these incidents, I have been left a shell of an individual. I suffer from extreme fatigue. Every time I get changed I am aware of the disfigurement to my arm which is an everlasting memory from the attack on me and this in addition has shattered my self-confidence."
He said he has been left very wary of health visitors and letters from the NHS and is "constantly on edge". He has split from Kwan's mother and is living with his daughter and her family but lives in fear Kwan could harm them.
He added: “I remember when I was lying on the bed whilst in the RVI, police visited me and informed me that they had arrested Thomas for the attack on myself. I couldn’t believe it, some part of me didn’t want to believe it and then to be informed that he had been charged with the offence of attempted murder made my thoughts spiral out of control.
“I genuinely feel as if I have been to hell and back. Thomas will never comprehend or know what it’s like to suffer in the manner of which I am.
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“I would like the court to take into consideration the full range of suffering that not only I, but my family, have had to endure this past year, not just the physical but mental scarring that will never leave me.
“I hope that Thomas is held accountable for the despicable crime he has committed against me. From my perspective he was in the ultimate position of trust. Countless individuals each and every day place their trust in doctors to do the right thing, to carry out their duties as per the training and the oath that they have undertaken. He has flagrantly abused his position of trust.
“I will never get over the anxiety and pain that he has caused me and my family. While we are all relieved that Thomas has pleaded guilty, acknowledging his actions and potential consequences, it’s still difficult to confront."
Prosecutor Peter Makepeace KC said Kwan had obtained various poisons through the creation of a false company. He said in the months leading up to the attack, he had also been researching poisons for some time and had acquired a “mass of literature” to inform him what poison would be most effective, how long they would take to kill and how easy they would be to detect. It is likely he used iodomethane, a fumigant pesticide.
The prosecutor said it is an “exceptional case” in which he had an “obsession to secure the financial advantage of his mother’s inheritance”. He added: “A particularly unpleasant feature of the case is that correspondence between the defendant and his wife since he was incarcerated has concentrated on financial matters. It bemoans, in particular, that Mr O’Hara might be entitled to compensation.
“It’s an extraordinarily chilling feature. He says ‘One old man’s compensation for three young people’s lives ruined, where's the justice in that.'
“It shows his sense of entitlement to money, for financial reward and the impediment that was Mr O’Hara."
Mr Makepeace said Kwan was a man “of considerable means himself”, who had a “wealthy lifestyle” and had made a bid on a property in the south of England of £2m. He added: “It’s not greed bred of a shortage of money or necessity, it’s greed bred purely and simply of greed.”
Paul Greaney KC, mitigating said Kwan was not only motivated by financial gain but also by his “dysfunctional relationship” with his mother, who he wanted to enact “some kind of revenge” against.
Mr Greaney said Kwan’s mother’s will would only have delayed him inheriting 45% of the value of the house but not his inheritance of her wider estate, which he says was a “substantial sum”.
Mrs Justice Lambert adjourned the case on a date to be fixed, when she will pass sentence on Kwan, of Brading Court, Ingleby Barwick.
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