A Singaporean tourist who was visiting her sister in Hong Kong was left with second-degree burns on both legs after being attacked with acid by a teenager in June 2025.
The victim, Jiang Wen, 36, suffered burns to 10 to 11 per cent of her body, primarily affecting her face and limbs.
According to ST Headline and HK01, Jiang was leaving The Hennessy in Wan Chai after meeting her sister when the incident occurred. As she was getting into a private hire car, a teenager dressed in dark clothing, wearing a cap and mask, approached her and splashed acid at her.
Jiang fell to the ground and screamed in pain. She later collapsed after experiencing an intense burning sensation on her face and legs, the South China Morning Post reported.
The private hire driver contacted the police, while the attacker fled the scene.
Jiang was rushed to hospital, where she underwent emergency surgery and received skin grafts. She remained in a Hong Kong hospital for about two months before returning to Singapore for further treatment.
Two days after the attack, the teenager, identified as Anson Kew, turned himself in at a police station. However, he remained silent during police questioning and did not explain why he had attacked Jiang.
Investigators later discovered a plastic bottle containing small amounts of liquid in a back alley near the scene. Tests confirmed that the liquid contained highly concentrated sulphuric acid.
CCTV footage from Kew’s residence also showed him handling a plastic bottle and backpack while wearing gloves. Further investigations revealed that he had scouted the location days before the attack.
Kew, who was 17 at the time of the incident and is now 19, pleaded guilty in a Hong Kong court on Thursday (Oct 15).
He is scheduled to return to court on Oct 29 for sentencing.
