A TRADITIONAL SIKH who allegedly strangled his daughter at their Shropshire home refused to accept her relationship with a white soldier, his son told a court today.

Gurmeet Singh Ubhi told 24-year-old Amrit Kaur Ubhi she was a “demon witch” and the “bane of his life” as the pair regularly clashed over her relationship with Stuart Loakes, a serving soldier in the 2nd Battalion The Rifles.

Harmeet Singh Ubhi, Ubhi’s son, told Leicester Crown Court the 54-year-old also tried unsuccessfully on several occasions to set her up with Sikh men.

The jury heard Ubhi killed his daughter at the family home in Leegomery, Telford, on September 7 last year when he was woken up after a night shift by music she was listening to. He denies murder.

Giving evidence, Harmeet Singh Ubhi told the court: “He was struggling to cope with the fact she was in a relationship with Stuart.

Annoying

“He was constantly trying to set her up with other guys, Sikh guys. He was trying to match-make even though he knew she was with Stuart. This was really annoying her. He was trying to explain to her it doesn’t work with Sikhism.”

The court heard that Ubhi was estranged from his wife Satinder Kaur Ubhi and family after the couple broke up in 1997. He went on to re-marry but was jailed after attacking his second wife with a chisel.

His son told the court today his family reconciled with Ubhi while he was in jail and he began living with them again on his release.

Miss Ubhi moved into Berberis Road at a later date. But Harmeet Singh Ubhi said his “fiery” father and sister would argue.

On Christmas Day in 2009 police were called after an argument broke out, Harmeet Singh Ubhi said.

“He would come out with it: ‘I don’t want this demon witch in my house.’ He basically said: ‘I don’t want you here, you’re the bane of my life’.”

Mr Loakes, giving evidence earlier, said: “I wasn’t really accepted, I don’t think, within the family. It was just a bit uncomfortable.”

By Jason Lavan