HONG KONG: Three suspects accused in the October 27 acid attack on barrister Neil Mitchell were denied bail in a second application before the court yesterday.

All three have criminal records. Police believe the person who masterminded the attack on Mitchell may be among them.

Three other suspects detained in the same case also remain in custody. They did not file bail applications, after their initial applications were rejected by Acting Principal Magistrate Bina Chainrai last Wednesday.

Magistrate Gary Lam Kar-yan sitting in the Eastern Magistrates' Court remanded all six suspects pending trial. In filing the application, defense counsel for the accused argued that Mitchell was not able to identify any of his attackers in an identity parade. Counsel says the six will file bail applications in High Court at a later date.

The prosecutor welcomed the decision, citing malice aforethought in the attack on Mitchell, adding that release of the six could adversely affect further investigation.

The prosecutor now must go through transcripts of interviews with the six suspects, which span 1,450 minutes. For that reason he asked that the case be adjourned until January 27.

Mitchell, 52, was leaving the court in Wan Chai Tower on October 27 during a lunch break when black liquid was thrown in his face. Two men clad in shorts, who were seen immediately after, fleeing along Harbour Road, were identified as the assailants.

A paper cup believed to have contained the liquid was found in a rubbish bin. The liquid was later tested in a laboratory and determined to be diluted sulphuric acid. Mitchell suffered burns to his left eye and face and spent five days in hospital.

At the time of the attack, Mitchell was acting on fiat as a government prosecutor against lawyer Kevin Kong Hon-yui. Kong was jailed for six years earlier this month after he was convicted of cheating a bank out of HK$10.9 million in a mortgage scam.

The six suspects in the attack were charged with conspiracy to throw corrosive fluid with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. Fifteen men have been arrested for the crime. The nine remaining suspects are free on bail.

The police said earlier they knew the motive for the attack, but declined to give further details. They also refused comment on whether the suspects had triad links.

(HK Edition 12/31/2009 page1)