Man admits murdering wife with Newcastle hotel pillow

Pek Ying Ling was found in her hotel room with a pillow over her face

A man who suffocated his wife of 27 years with a hotel pillow has admitted murdering her after changing his plea mid-trial.

Pek Ying Ling, 51, was found dead at the County Aparthotel in Westgate Road, Newcastle, on 6 December last year.

Her husband Soong Hert Fong, also 51, had been on trial at Newcastle Crown Court after admitting manslaughter but denying murder.

He will be sentenced on Friday where he faces life in prison.

'Shush her'

The couple from Singapore were on holiday and had travelled to Europe via Dubai.

Jurors had heard Mr Fong, of Marine Vista, Singapore, killed his wife in their hotel room hours before they were due to fly to Paris.

He then called one of his three sons, who was at university in Newcastle, and told him: "I have hurt your mother. She's gone. She's dead.

"I just lost it. I tried to cover her mouth to shush her. I just lost it."

Soong Hert Fong had earlier told the trial he had "no memory whatsoever" of the killing

The court heard Mr Fong had required hospital treatment after several falls during their trip and had been unhappy with his wife's comments that he was not taking care of himself.

Prosecutors alleged he killed her "to stop her scolding him or nagging him or to keep her quiet".

Jurors were told the couple returned to the Newcastle hotel shortly after midnight on 6 December after a visit to the city's Royal Victoria Infirmary.

Mrs Pek was found hours later by emergency services lying with her legs hanging over the bottom of the bed and a pillow over her face.

Prosecutor Peter Makepeace QC said the defendant may have knelt on his wife's shoulders during the attack to achieve the required force to kill her.

The couple had been staying at the County Aparthotel during a visit to Newcastle

Mr Fong initially claimed he had "no memory whatsoever" of the killing and had diminished responsibility for it, but admitted murder on Tuesday.

In a statement released following their father's plea, the couple's children said: "We are heartbroken after losing our mum, but now we just want to provide our dad with the support he needs."