Plaza Hollywood stabbing case hands down an indefinite hospital order

A defendant originally charged with murder in the Plaza Hollywood stabbing case from three years ago now pleads guilty to two counts of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

The prosecution accepts the plea, and hands down an indefinite hospital order.

The 43-year-old defendant, Szeto Sing-kwong, remains in remand for three years since his arrest.

The attack happened on June 2, 2023.

The defendant stabbed two women to death at Plaza Hollywood and was arrested at the scene.

High Court Judge Esther Toh describes the incident as a tragedy during sentencing.

Multiple psychiatrists confirm the defendant suffers from schizophrenia.

The prosecution accepts his abnormal and irrational state, allowing him to plead guilty to manslaughter.

Taking into consideration his mental condition, the court sentences him to an indefinite hospital order for both charges, running concurrently.

According to the Mental Health Ordinance, if two or more government psychiatrists prove a defendant suffers from mental illness or lacks mental capacity, the court can hand down a hospital order based on the reports, meaning remand in a psychiatric hospital for treatment and observation.

Dr. Shum Kwan-ho, a specialist in psychiatry, says medical experts assess whether hallucinations or disorganised thoughts drive

the attacker's actions at the time of the incident. He adds sending mentally-ill patients to prison without proper treatment might worsen their condition and threaten the safety of other inmates.

Can a patient sentenced to an indefinite hospital order be released once he recovers?

Member of Mental Health Review Tribunal Yim Hong-cheuk says it is very difficult for them to get a release, as patients on hospital orders often remain institutionalised for more than a decade.

He notes while they avoid jail time, their treatment in psychiatric hospital usually lasts much longer.

Even if these patients are discharged, there needs to be a detailed plan, including monitoring and accommodation arrangements, to ensure the risks they pose to society are reduced to a minimum.