Indian wife beater sentenced to 17 years in Australia

An Indian national, who brutally beat his wife to death after abusing her for years, was on Tuesday sentenced to 17 years in jail by the Victorian Supreme Court.

Sukhmander Singh, who pleaded guilty to murder of his wife Mohinder Kaur, was jailed to 17 years to serve a minimum of 13 years and six months sentencing.

While announcing the verdict, Judge Terry Forrest said the accused had no remorse for his actions.

Mohinder was beaten to death with a wooden stake by Singh on the Valley Lake Boulevard at Niddrie on May 7, 2009.

The accused followed his wife Mohinder who came to Australia from India in 2008 because of years of physical abuse and being falsely accused of having affairs by him.

The couple had four children and their daughter Sarabjit Kaur, 21, was studying in Melbourne.

Sarabjit had arranged for her mother to obtain a visa and five months later in March last year she also arranged for her father to join them after he assured of a good behaviour.

Justice Terry Forrest said that Singh’s conduct towards his family improved significantly after he arrived in Melbourne in early March.

However, his behaviour deteriorated and last May he attacked his wife while taking a stroll on Valley Lake Boulevard in Niddrie suburb in Melbourne’s northwest.

“What followed then was a brutal conclusion to your wife’s life,” Justice Forrest said.

“Mohinder was crying and told Sarabjit that you had taken a wooden stick from the ground. She heard what sounded like a crack, and last words she heard her mother utter were: ’Neena, your father is killing me,” Justice Forrest told.

Singh’s daughter Sarabjit testified that as long as she could remember there was fighting and argument between Singh and his wife, the Age reported.

“The children would stay outside the house crying while you set about beating their mother,” Judge told Singh.

“For cultural reasons I am unable to comprehend, these beatings were not reported to the police,” Justice Forrest said, adding “Sarabjit states that over the last few years the fighting and beatings became considerably worse. You would kick your wife, hit her and use objects to inflict pain upon her.”

The court heard Singh would abuse his wife almost every day and the physical beatings would happen almost once a week.

Sarabjit Kaur had given evidence that she moved to Australia in 2007 to get away from her father but her mother could not leave because of her younger brother and sister in India.