Singaporean man charged with murdering wife in UK admits to manslaughter
Fong Soong Hert was arrested last December after his wife Pek Ying Ling was found dead in a Newcastle apartment. PHOTO: ALEXIS FONG
SINGAPORE - A Singaporean man has admitted to being involved in the death of his wife in a luxury apartment in Newcastle, England, while they were on their holiday last year.
Fong Soong Hert, 50, on Friday (March 18) appeared before a Newcastle Crown Court, where he pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
He denied a charge of murdering his wife, Madam Pek Ying Ling, 51, and is scheduled to go on trial on June 6.
Newcastle Crown Court gave The Straits Times confirmation that Fong is still in remand.
Madam Pek died on Dec 6 last year at the County Aparthotel, in Westgate Road.
The Northumbria police said in a Facebook post on Dec 9 last year that they received a call at around 7.15am on Dec 6 (3.15pm Singapore time) with a report of concern for Madam Pek at the hotel.
Emergency service personnel fought to save Madam Pek's life after they found that she was not breathing, but she was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after.
Fong was then arrested and charged with murder.
Family members told ST in December last year that the couple were very loving.
They were midway through their 2½-month holiday, having left Singapore on Oct 24 last year and travelled to the United Arab Emirates’ capital Abu Dhabi, Croatia and Scotland before arriving in Newcastle.
The couple, who have three sons, met their eldest son in Newcastle on Dec 3 and planned to meet their other two children later on their trip.
Madam Pek quit her full-time job in the events industry amid the pandemic in 2020, while Fong runs an events consultancy firm.
