Mental patient in court for knifing death of Hong Kong boy, 3

Mental patient in court for knifing death of Hong Kong boy, 3 Hong Kong - A former mental patient appeared in a Hong Kong court Monday accused of chopping to death a three-year-old boy in front of his father in a random attack in the street.

The toddler was playing with his father outside a busy market on Friday lunchtime when the 39-year-old man allegedly ran out from an apartment block and attacked the boy with a 25-centimetre-long knife.

The boy suffered fatal head injuries despite the efforts of his 61-year-old father, who was badly injured, to shield him from the repeated blows of his killer in an attack which shocked the city.

The suspect, surnamed Leung, was arrested at the scene of the attack in Hong Kong's Shamshuipo district, and appeared in court Monday charged with murder and wounding.

Monday's hearing was told that the man told police afterwards he was overcome by a "sudden urge" to hack people. He said he did not know the boy or his father and had no reason to attack them.

Leung, who had been released from mental hospital earlier but declared mentally sound, told police he picked the boy because he was an "easy target," the court heard.

No plea was taken and the case was adjourned for a fortnight to allow for psychiatric reports to be drawn up. Leung was ordered to be remanded to a psychiatric hospital.

Friday's case made front-page headlines in newspapers in Hong Kong, raising questions over the standard of mental health care in the city of 7 million which has a reputation for safe streets.(dpa)