The ex-husband of a fashion influencer found dead in 2023 was on Wednesday sentenced to 42 months in prison for stealing gold and jewellery worth more than HK$6 million and jumping bail.

Alex Kwong, ex-husband of Abby Choi, pleaded guilty in the District Court to stealing necklaces, bracelets, pendants, bullion and gold pellets between June 2013 and January 2015.

The court heard that Kwong falsely claimed to be engaged in a mainland gold investment business and stole items from six people he persuaded to buy jewellery.

While on bail following his arrest in 2015, he failed to report to police as instructed and didn't turn up for a court hearing that year.

He was arrested in February 2023 at a pier in the New Territories while allegedly trying to flee the city by speedboat following Choi's death.

Kwong admitted failing to surrender to custody.

Passing sentence, Judge David Cheung said Kwong's series of crimes over a period of 1.5 years was not due to momentary greed, but deliberate action to steal from others.

Cheung noted that the defendant had since compensated the victims for their losses.

Kwong, along with his father and brother are charged with murdering Choi, while Kwong's mother faces a charge of perverting the course of justice in relation to the case.