Student attacked i-Cable security guard over disputed bill

[ScarTissue]

Student attacked i-Cable security guard over disputed HK$600 bill

Son angered by charges for cancelled broadband admits wounding security man with army knife

PUBLISHED : Wednesday, 15 April, 2015, 12:09am
UPDATED : Wednesday, 15 April, 2015, 2:42am

Thomas Chan [email protected]

Police cordon off the crime scene following Ng Shi-man's knife attack on the security guard at i-Cable's Tsuen Wan headquarters in September last year. Photo: Felix Wong

A diploma student attacked a security guard for i-Cable Communications after the company sent his family a HK$618 bill when they cancelled their internet service, a court heard on Tuesday.

Ng Shi-man, a 20-year-old mechanical engineering student at the Vocational Training Council, pleaded guilty to one count of wounding with intent and two of possession of prohibited weapons, including knuckle dusters and a steel baton.

Prosecutor Sally Yam Ho said Ng's mother subscribed to i-Cable broadband, but the family were unhappy with the service and disconnected it in August. They then received a statement saying they owed HK$618.

Yam said that on September 22 last year, Ng arrived at the broadcaster's Tsuen Wan headquarters and asked to see a customer service officer to express his discontent. But his complaint was not handled because he failed to provide his mother's identity card number.

The District Court heard that, armed with an army knife and a butterfly knife, Ng approached security guards at the entrance. Security guard Tsang Kwong-ming refused to let him pass through the gate to see i-Cable chairman and chief executive Stephen Ng Tin-hoi.

Ng then attacked Tsang, stabbing his head and hands with the army knife. Tsang was later admitted to hospital.

Yam said police later found the defendant shirtless on the stairway, blood dripping down his right hand. He wrote on the floor with his blood: "Ng Tin-hoi will face retribution".

Under caution, he told police officers: "I just want the security guard to stay away and let me meet Ng Tin-hoi … and discuss the contract. I am not minded to hurt him."

At the request of defence counsel Fu Chong-sang, Judge Gary Lam Kar-yan called for two psychiatric reports to ascertain the defendant's mental health.

Fu said his client was born on the mainland and moved to Hong Kong about 10 years ago.

Asked by the judge why Ng Shi-man had bought so many weapons on the internet, Fu said they were for his own collection.

Lam adjourned the case to April 27 for sentence.