The most heated arguments and fights often happen with the ones dear to our hearts. Unfortunately, it can escalate beyond an emotional spat in some tragic instances.
In Dec 2021, a Singaporean man, Fong Soong Hert, was charged for allegedly murdering his wife in a Newcastle hotel while on vacation.
Appearing in court in the United Kingdom (UK) on Monday (1 Aug), it was revealed that the 51-year-old said he “snapped” and wanted to stop his wife from nagging him.
Fong said he had “lost it” and smothered her with a pillow. This is consistent with a post-mortem of the deceased.
According to Channel NewsAsia (CNA), the late Madam Pek was pronounced dead at the Newcastle County Aparthotel on 6 Dec 2021 at 7.32am.
At the time, the couple was on vacation. They were captured on CCTV returning to the hotel in the early hours of 6 Dec.
Hours later, Fong called their eldest son, saying, “I hurt your mum. She’s gone”. Fong later clarified, “She’s dead”.
When police arrived, they found Madam Pek on the bed with no signs of life.
Source: Chronicle Live
Fong was then arrested. At the police station, he told officers that he “just snapped” and “wanted her to keep quiet”.
TODAY reported that Fong had suffocated his wife with a pillow to stop her from “nagging him”.
The prosecutor shared that Madam Pek was unhappy with Fong for smoking when he was unwell.
A post-mortem concluded that Madam Pek’s injuries were consistent with being smothered.
On Monday (1 Aug), Fong, who is on trial for the murder of his wife Pek Ying Ling, appeared in Newcastle Crown Court.
Earlier this year, Fong had denied the murder charge and pleaded guilty to manslaughter instead.
It was revealed in court that the couple was travelling on the Isle of Skye in Scotland before the incident.
On 27 Nov, Fong suffered a bad fall when he tripped and fell down a steep edge. According to CNA, he made it back to their hotel, where staff tended to him.
An ambulance was later called, and Fong was given a cocktail of painkillers before being conveyed to the hospital for examination.
He was hospitalised overnight and discharged the following morning. The couple then continued their journey around Scotland in a rented car.
However, at their next destination, Inverness, Fong was still in pain and went for another hospital check-up.
Afterwards, the couple proceeded to Edinburgh, where they met their eldest son. The three then travelled to Newscastle together by train. When they arrived, the family went to a football match and sightseeing.
Throughout the time, Fong had several falls and required medical care at the hospital again.
On 6 Dec, Fong was discharged, and the couple returned to their hotel at 12.17am. They were captured entering their room on CCTV. This was the last time Madam Pek was seen alive.
The case is expected to continue over the week.
UK’s maximum penalty for either murder or manslaughter is life imprisonment, TODAY reported.
This is a tragic tale of a couple once known by family and friends as being very loving.
We can’t begin to imagine the devastation and trauma suffered by the couple’s three sons.
Hopefully, justice will prevail at the end of the trial, so that the family can close this painful chapter for good.
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Featured image adapted from Northumbria Police on Facebook and Google Hotels.
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