Indian-origin man jailed for attacking son-in-law with meat cleaver in UK

London, Jan 4 (PTI) A 53-year-old Indian-origin man has been sentenced to more than eight years in jail for attacking his son-in-law with a meat cleaver in the United Kingdom.

Bhajan Singh, a resident of the Handsworth neighbourhood of Birmingham city, attacked his son-in-law while under the influence of alcohol in April last year, according to the Birmingham Mail newspaper.

Singh lived with his daughter, son-in-law, and their two kids. Singh and his son-in-law also worked in the same factory and there had been no problems between the two, the paper said.

“The victim had been in the living room when he felt a blow to the back of his neck. He initially thought the defendant had slapped him but then realised he had been cut,” said prosecutor Alex Warren.

“He (the victim) then saw that the defendant was holding a meat cleaver, which he swung towards him, aiming at his neck. He thought the defendant was going to kill him,” Warren added.

The victim put up his left hand to protect himself, and the meat cleaver made contact with it, particularly damaging his middle finger, which underwent two operations.

While passing a judgement, Judge Sarah Buckingham said a possible motive for the attack was a recent extended trip the defendant had made to India. He had “reluctantly” returned to the UK and had become angry and frustrated.

The force of the attack was such that the wooden handle of the cleaver broke during the incident, Buckingham said.

Defence lawyer Simon Hanns said that “something must have happened,” as it was an unusual incident with Singh having behaved in an incredibly violent fashion.