Jailed socialite Pamela Pak Wan-kam wants to be returned to her prison cell without air-conditioning rather than stay in a cool, but lonely, prison psychiatric centre, boyfriend Paul Tse Wai-chun said yesterday. Pak was transferred from Tai Lam Centre for Women to Siu Lam Psychiatric Centre on Monday suffering from stress and difficulties eating and breathing, but Mr Tse said her condition had not improved. The 57-year-old former radio agony aunt was sentenced last Friday to three months' jail for tax evasion. She had complained of getting little sleep in the regular jail because inmates who knew her from her talk show, Heart to Heart, were queuing for advice. 'She said there was air-conditioning at the psychiatric centre at night time. But she still could not adapt to the new environment as she is being put in solitary confinement,' said Mr Tse, a solicitor. 'There is no light from 7pm to 7am every day. There are no windows in the room. The sleeping hours are too long for her. She cannot read at night time and has no one to talk to. It's like being locked in a box.' Mr Tse said if conditions did not improve, Pak might consider asking to be sent back to Tai Lam jail, where there was at least someone to talk to. He was considering petitioning the Chief Executive for early release on medical grounds. 'She throws up anything she eats. I think she's not feeling well because of her age, depression, the hot weather and the fact that she thinks she is being over-punished,' Mr Tse said. Department doctors who find a prisoner may be endangered by continuing to serve their sentence can ask the Commissioner of Correctional Services to refer the case to the Chief Executive, Tung Chee-hwa. Mr Tse said the couple were considering including some of Pak's previous medical reports in their petition to Mr Tung. There is a precedent for such a release. Former drug baron Ng Sik-ho, 61, better known as Limpy Ho, was released from jail on medical grounds on August 14, 1991, after being given only five weeks to live due to liver cancer. He died three weeks after his release.
