A 79-year-old man has been jailed for seven years after a jury found him guilty of attempting to murder a female employee at a Sham Shui Po arcade. The High Court heard that the attack took place at the Kam Po Arcade on Cheung Sha Wan Road on 5 April 2024.
The defendant, Shum Chung-yin, denied the charge. The prosecution said he entered the arcade claiming that he had lost his mobile phone, then returned and repeatedly stabbed the employee with scissors. Reports also said he restrained her by the neck and shouted threats, but those details were part of the reported account of the prosecution case.
The employee suffered injuries to her forehead, behind her ear, neck, hands and legs. She needed stitches and hospital treatment. The wounds were not life-threatening, but scars remained after they healed.
The jury convicted Shum by a large majority. Star Headline reported that the seven-member jury, made up of six men and one woman, reached a 6-1 verdict; other reports confirmed the conviction without giving the jury’s composition or vote.
Judge Esther Toh described the incident as an unprovoked, impulsive assault and said Shum intended to cause the employee serious injury. He had argued that he was provoked, but the jury did not accept that account.
In considering sentence, the court took account of Shum’s age, remorse and psychological condition. A psychological report said he had fragile self-esteem and a gambling problem, but no obvious aggressive tendencies. Reports assessed his risk of reoffending as low to moderate, or low to medium.
The final sentence was seven years. Reports described eight years either as the sentence before a reduction or as the starting point for sentencing, before one year was deducted because of his advanced age. Shum had been remanded for nearly two and a half years. One report said he could be released as early as 2028 if he qualifies for a one-third remission and meets the relevant prison-conduct requirements.