Australian podiatrist faces death penalty after wife's alleged murder in Singapore

Former Melbourne podiatrist Paul Leslie Quirk, 48, faces the gallows for allegedly murdering his 43-year-old wife Christina Khoo. Photo / Facebook

Warning: Distressing content

An Australian man is facing death by hanging after he was charged with murdering his wife in Singapore.

Former Melbourne podiatrist Paul Leslie Quirk, 48, was arrested after Christina Khoo Gek Hwa was found dead at the couple's flat on January 3.

Court documents revealed police received a call for help from a third floor unit at Esparina Residences in Sengkang just after midnight, according to Singapore's Straits Times.

They arrived to find Khoo "unresponsive". Paramedics attempted to revive her but she was declared dead at the scene, the court heard.

The court heard a "bloodied white dog" was found at the base of the apartment block after allegedly being thrown from a window, reports news.com.au.

Witnesses told Singapore Uncensored of hearing "loud noises" and a "dog barking" in the lead-up to Khoo's death.

"The dog was thrown off from the third floor and landed onto the pavement leaving a pool of blood," the publication said.

Quirk fronted court dressed in a red shirt and black shorts and remained "expressionless" during a brief hearing on January 4, according to Channel News Asia.

District Court Judge Shaiffudin Saruwan remanded the Australian foot doctor at Changi Prison's medical centre for psychiatric evaluation for three weeks.

According to his Facebook and LinkedIn profiles, Quirk moved to Singapore from Melbourne in 2016 and worked at Tan Tock Seng Hospital until November 2017.

"Armed with more than 17 years in podiatry, I decide (sic) to venture to Singapore with my passion in podiatry, hoping to share my experience and knowledge to the local community," Mr Quirk wrote on LinkedIn.

Quirk and Khoo married on August 8, 2017 – a significant date for the pair since they shared an August 8 birthday, the Times said. Khoo's online profile states she was a director at the Singapore offices of a US management consultancy firm.

The couple shared an August 8 birthday and chose that date for their 2017 wedding. Photo / Facebook

Neighbours told the Times the pair was often visited by Khoo's young son from a previous marriage. The child was not present during the alleged murder.

Australian authorities said they were preparing to make contact with Quirk in jail.

"The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is aware an Australian man has been arrested in Singapore and stands ready to provide consular assistance in accordance with the Consular Services Charter," DFAT said in an email to news.com.au.

Police have yet to reveal Khoo's cause of death following a post-mortem investigation, and a motive for the alleged murder remains unknown.

Quirk will remain under psychiatric observation at Changi Prison's medical centre until his next court appearance on January 24.

If convicted of murder, Quirk faces death by hanging. According to Amnesty International, Singapore has sent more than 400 people, including several foreign nationals, to the gallows since 1991.