Deptford man 'tried to murder friend and ex with cleaver’

Ka Chun Wong, 27, is accused of attempting to murder Ji Wu and Zhi Liang Chen at a flat on Naomi Street, Deptford. 

Wong is said to have viewed Mr Chen as an “older brother figure”, but both men had been in “on and off again” relationships Ms Wu throughout 2023, Woolwich Crown Court heard.

The horror attack took place on October 7 last year, weeks after Ms Wu broke up with Wong and got back together with Mr Chen. 

Having entered Ms Wu’s flat uninvited, Wong pulled out a meat cleaver and “hacked” at the pair while they were in bed. 

Mr Chen said he thought he was going to die and received eight wounds, including two fingers that had to be partially amputated. 

Wong, of Regency Square in Brighton, admits carrying out the attack but denies intent to kill. 

A trial at Woolwich Crown Court is expected to last two weeks. 

‘On and off again’ 

Opening the trial, prosecutor Nathalie McNamee told the jury the three are all originally from China but are now living in the UK. 

Ms McNamee said: “Ms Wu had been in a relationship with both men at one time or another. She and Mr Wong had been together in an “on and off” again way for some time. 

“They had split up in June 2023 and she had started a relationship with Mr Chen not long afterwards. She then split up with Mr Chen in August 2023 and got back together with Wong. 

“But then she split up with Mr Wong for the last time and got back together with Mr Chen not long before the incident on 7 October.” 

Ms Wu told police both men were aware of each other’s relationships with her. 

After their relationship ended, Wong stayed at Ms Wu’s flat for a while, then disappeared for a few days before returning to give back the key to her flat. 

“The key is relevant because it became apparent that Mr Wong had taken a copy of the key before returning it to Ms Wu, which is how he was able to get into the flat on the morning of October 7,” Ms McNamee said. 

In the early hours of October 5 Wong had texted Ms Wu: “From the moment you lied to me, wishing you the best 😊."

She took that to be a reference to her getting back together with Mr Chen, Ms McNamee told the jury. 

The attack took place on Naomi Street in Deptford (Image: StreetView)

‘He’s going to die’ 

At 8.49am on October 7 Wong was seen entering the ground floor of the block of flats. 

Ms Wu and Mr Chen were in bed when Wong came in saying “Who? Who? Who?”, Ms McNamee alleged. 

“As soon as Mr Wong entered the flat, he came straight to the bed, produced a large knife, a meat cleaver and started hacking or chopping at the bed,” Ms McNamee said. 

“Mr Chen was still half-asleep when the door opened, but a few seconds after he heard the click of the lock, he became aware of someone hacking at his body with a knife. 

“He put his hand up to his face to protect himself – which resulted in an injury to his hand. 

“He does not recall exactly how, but he got himself out of bed and moved across to the window. He remembers thinking that he was going to die, and he became aware that his fingers had been cut off and he was covered in blood.” 

The attack lasted just four seconds before it came to an end when Ms Wu cried out “he’s going to die”, Ms McNamee told the jury. 

Wong then made the pair give him their phones and told them not to call the police before leaving. 

Both were taken to the Royal London Hospital for treatment. Mr Chen had sustained eight injuries and Ms Wu had one deep cut to her right arm. 

'Denies intent to kill'

In the aftermath of the attack Wong “appears to have gone to ground”, Ms McNamee said. 

Four days later he was traced to a hostel-type premises in Brighton, which had been rented out under the name Jack until December 2023. 

A total of £2,000 in cash was found in a rucksack, which the prosecution says indicates he planned to lie low for a few months. 

When Wong was interviewed he told police he had got in a fight with Mr Chen that morning and that Mr Chen had tried to attack him with a screwdriver or knife. Wong said he had not intended to injure anybody, but if he did it was an accident. 

But he later accepted that he did carry out the attack on the pair with a meat cleaver and pleaded guilty to two counts of wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm and possessing an offensive weapon. 

Ms McNamee told the jury: “That will be the issue for you to decide. Have the prosecution made you sure that, when he was carrying out his attack, Mr Wong intended to kill both of them? 

“You will undoubtedly have in mind that this was a very short attack – lasting no more than a few seconds – and the evidence suggests he did stop the attack of his own accord, rather than being overpowered and forced to stop, for example. 

“But the prosecution says there is ample evidence to demonstrate that when the attack was happening, the defendant clearly had in mind that he wanted to kill both complainants. 

“The attack was short, but vicious – you have seen the injuries caused to both complainants, and you will hear from Ms Wu about how sharp the knife used was. 

“That, the prosecution say, is a weapon selected with one outcome in mind – why use such a sharp knife if it the intention to do anything other than try to kill someone with it?” 

The trial continues.