Spiderwoman

Lovelorn 'Spiderwoman' lands in jail

Cookery teacher Berry Chan Sau- har, 25, put a knife to the throat of her ex-boyfriend Terry Chan Tat-fu, 28, to demand that they get back together in December last year, the District Court heard Monday.

Chan was convicted of aggravated burglary two weeks ago.

Describing the case as "unusual" during sentencing, Deputy District Judge Amanda Jane Woodcock said Chan's acts and speech at the time of the offense proved she had an intent to wound her ex- boyfriend.

The court was told the woman, who had no criminal record, had been assessed to be suffering from schizophrenia in September last year, or about three months before the incident.

But Woodcock said an up-to-date psychiatric report showed otherwise.

Terry Chan awoke to find his ex-girlfriend - wearing a wig, gloves and black outfit - holding a knife to his neck

The judge also said Chan appeared calm when giving a statement under caution to the police after her arrest.

Woodcock said Chan's attack was premeditated as she had bought a knife the day before the offense.

The judge also said she believed Chan's act was made out of anger, jealousy and disappointment.

Defense lawyer Jonathan Acton-Bond asked the court to hand down a community service order instead of a jail term.

However, Woodcock said the case was so serious that community service would be inappropriate.

But the judge said she believed Chan's chance of repeating the offense was low with family support.

The pair had lived together since December 2008 but broke up in October last year.

The court heard that on the morning of December 23 last year, Chan shimmied down from the roof of a Cheung Sha Wan building with a rope and took off the window grille of her ex-boyfriend's flat with a screwdriver.

Terry Chan awoke to find his ex-girlfriend - wearing a wig, gloves and black outfit - holding a knife to his neck.

She urged him to get back together but he did not reply. After seeing her wave the knife in her right hand, he managed to disarm her by pinning the woman's hand to the mattress.

Chan bit her former boyfriend's right arm during the ensuing struggle.

He was taken to hospital where he received treatment to an abrasion on his neck.
Source: Hong Kong Standard

Published Aug 17 2010