Deptford man tried to murder friend with meat cleaver

Ka Chun Wong, 27, entered his ex-girlfriend Ji Wu's Deptford flat uninvited and found her in bed naked with his long-time friend Zhi Liang Chen. 

Wong then pulled out a meat cleaver and began hacking at them both, cutting off two of Mr Chen’s fingers in the process. 

A jury found Wong guilty of attempting to murder Mr Chen and he admitted grievous bodily harm against Ms Wu. 

On Friday (April 19) Wong was jailed for 25 years for the horror attack and was told that he will be deported to China when he is released from prison. 

Ka Chun Wong (Image: Met Police)

'On and off again'

The attack took place on October 7 last year at Ms Wu’s flat on Naomi Street in Deptford. 

Wong, Ms Wu and Mr Chen are all originally from China but were living in the UK at the time of the offence, prosecutor Nathalie McNamee previously told a jury.

Wong and Mr Chen knew each other for years, with Wong seeing Mr Chen as an “older brother figure”.  

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 7th 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 horror attack took place on Naomi Street, Deptford (Image: Met Police)

‘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.  

 25 years

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.  

£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.  

He later accepted that he did carry out the attack on the pair with a meat cleaver and pleaded guilty to two counts wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm and possessing an offensive weapon, but denied attempting to murder them both. 

A jury at Woolwich Crown Court found Wong guilty of attempting to murder Mr Chen but not guilty of attempting to murder Ms Wu. 

Sentencing Wong, Judge Jonathan Mann KC said: “On October 7 last year you, without warning, provocation or permission, entered your ex-girlfriend's flat. 

“Both she and Mr Chen were naked under a sheet, lying vulnerable. 

“You took a meat cleaver and began a vicious attack resulting in the most grave injuries.” 

He sentencing Wong to 25 years in prison and told him he will be deported once he is