‘Mr and Mrs Ho’ in Hong Kong court unrepresented as assault case draws crowds

Hong Kong internet couple “Mr and Mrs Ho” still have no legal representatives in a domestic violence dispute that escalated into a criminal case, which has drawn wide public attention and filled the courtroom.

The District Court heard on Tuesday that Ho Huen, 77, widely known as Mr Ho, and his 44-year-old wife, Ye Xiuding, known as Mrs Ho, had yet to hire lawyers to defend themselves after being charged in May last year with unlawfully and maliciously wounding each other.

Judge Stanley Chan Kwong-chi noted that the public gallery was filled with observers of various ages, some of whom had chased after Mrs Ho and scolded her as she left the courtroom at the previous hearing.

The couple’s age-gap romance came into the public eye after they appeared on a prime-time television programme in 2024 to publicise their relationship, sharing their love story and displaying luxurious gifts, which sparked debate over their eligibility for public housing.

Their relationship later took a downturn as they allegedly became involved in domestic disputes that turned violent.

In the present case, Mrs Ho sustained knife injuries to the back of her head, including a 5.1cm (two-inch) wound, while Mr Ho suffered a bite to a finger on his left hand.