By NEAL HALL, Vancouver Sun
February 12, 2010
VANCOUVER – Vancouver billionaire David Ho set a trial date for next year on charges of unlawful confinement of a woman and possessing a loaded handgun and illegal drugs.
His lawyer, Len Doust, appeared in Vancouver provincial court and entered a not guilty plea on behalf of his client and electing a trial by provincial court judge.
Five days have been set aside beginning on Feb. 9, 2011, for the trial, which will hear from 13 witnesses, the court was told by prosecutor Greg Weber.
Ho, 57, is facing trial on eight criminal counts. He was charged last year for an alleged incident that occurred on Dec,. 28, 2008.
Police alleged that Ho contacted a woman over a telephone chat line who went to his $5-million mansion at 7190 Hudson St. But when the woman tried to leave at about 4:45 a.m., Ho allegedly prevented her from leaving.
A violent struggle allegedly ensued and the woman called 911, but she didn’t know the address, police alleged. She managed to get away but fractured her ankle and suffered other minor injuries, police said.
Neighbours called 911 after hearing her screams.
Ho, who owns the high-end auto dealership MCL Motor Cars and the now-defunct Harmony airline, was later charged with unlawful confinement, possession of a loaded 9mm Glock pistol, which was illegally stored, and possession of cocaine and marijuana.
He was born in China and is an heir to the Hong Kong Tobacco Co. fortune. He holds passports to several countries and was in Shanghai when charged, but returned to Canada and has been released on $100,000 bail..
Ho, whose full name is Ting Kwok David Ho, is a longtime Liberal supporter who donated $100,000 to the provincial Liberals since 2005 and is a former member of the Vancouver police board.
In 2007, Ho had been stopped by police while driving his Porsche in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside with two sex-trade workers and a quantity of cocaine in the vehicle. But he was never charged.