Five years for double killer

Jaswant Singh, Sukhdev Singh and Kulwant Singh

Shawbury chip shop killer Sukhdev Singh was today jailed for five-and-a-half years.

The 27-year-old illegal immigrant was locked up for the manslaughter of 30-year-old Jaswant Singh and 31-year-old Kulwant Singh.

Singh was cleared of murdering them at the end of a three week trial at Stafford Crown Court last month, but found guilty of two charges of manslaughter after the jury heard he had been goaded over a long period.

Sentencing Singh at Shrewsbury Crown Court, Judge Simon Tonking said he acted on the grounds of diminished responsibility and provocation when he killed the men at the flat above the Shawbury Fish Bar in the early hours of December 7 last year.

The court heard Singh beat the men around the head with a hammer, before tightening ligatures around their necks.

He then made attempts to clean the scene, and fled to Smethwick where he was arrested days later.

Judge Tonking said Singh killed the men with "significant brutality", using a hammer and a ligature.

He said Singh had been "goaded" by both men over a long period of time, and claimed to have been raped by them.

Psychiatrists said Singh had been suffering from a moderate depressive illness, and post traumatic stress disorder.

Singh had told jurors at his trial he thought the men were about to rape him again at the time of the killings.

Judge Tonking told him today: "I have no doubt that on the night in question you acted spontaneously and immediately following the last act of provocation."

But he said Singh tried to cover up what he had done in a "comprehensive and calculating way" and lied "persistently and skillfully" before telling the truth.

Judge Tonking said Singh was "normally a peaceful and quiet man" with no previous convictions.

"You are normally a polite, hardworking and respectful young man," he said.

"You are and always have been alone in this country and your future on release will appear bleak."

By Deborah Collins