Doctor jailed for 12 years over worst beauty treatment blunder in Hong Kong’s history
Judge slams ‘ambitious, empire-building and money-hungry’ doctor for exploiting legal loopholes
A beauty chain owner was jailed for 12 years for manslaughter and his technician for 10 years, after a woman in Hong Kong died from an experimental cancer therapy sold to her as a health boost.
DR Group boss Dr Stephen Chow Heung-wing, 63, who was behind the worst beauty treatment blunder in the city, looked to the floor as he learned of his sentence, while supporters of technician Chan Kwun-chung began to sob in the public gallery.
Both Chow and Chan, 32, had denied one count of manslaughter over the death of Chan Yuen-lam, 46, together with a third defendant, Dr Mak Wan-ling.
Before sentencing the pair, High Court judge Mrs Justice Judianna Barnes Wai-ling took one last opportunity to reprimand Chow and Chan.
She called Chow an “ambitious, empire-building and money-hungry individual” for exploiting legal loopholes and using irresponsible approaches on gullible customers. Chan, she said, was driven by a steady increase in salary and good prospects in the company.
Both, the judge said, had to be severely punished to show the “disgust and abhorrence felt by society”.