A man tried to administer chloroform his girlfriend in front of a roomful of people, in order to take her home and talk her out of a break-up. The case was heard in the High Court of Hong Kong and has been adjourned to June 22.

The defendant, a 25-year-old man, went to a karaoke parlor on November 12, with his 20-year-old girlfriend and two relatives' children. When his girlfriend was singing, he suddenly placed a chloroform towel on her nose and tried to intoxicate her. She fought him off and alerted police. The man later explained that his girlfriend wanted to break up. He intended to take her home and have a good talk with her: "because he loves her too much".

(Ming Pao)