Man, 32, admits murder of businessman
A 32-year-old man has admitted the murder of a Stourbridge businessman and property developer who was found dead in his flat.
Paramjit Singh pleaded guilty to killing father-of-three Richard Sherratt when he appeared at Stafford Crown Court.
Singh, from Wilmore Road, Perry Barr in Birmingham, also admitted robbery by taking a watch, wallet and bank cards from Mr Sherratt's Bridgnorth flat following the attack on June 14 this year.
He also pleaded guilty to six counts of fraud by using various bank and store cards belonging to Mr Sherratt after the robbery.
Judge Simon Tonking yesterday adjourned the case for a pre-sentence report to be carried out.
Singh was remanded in custody and is expected to be sentenced in the new year.
Mr Sherratt was found dead by police in his flat on June 14. A post-mortem revealed the 57-year-old had died from head injuries.
Mr Sherratt's family spoke of their 'heartbreak' after his death and son Joseph, 28, who now lives in London, said they were finding it difficult to cope with the loss.
Almost 500 friends and family members attended his funeral at St Peter's Church in Kinver. The businessman was a former president of Kinver Football Club and also enjoyed shooting and fishing. Mr Sherratt, who grew up in Kinver, used to run Hyperion Homes and was responsible for numerous property developments in the Black Country.
He was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma two years ago but the condition was not being treated as life-threatening.
In the weeks leading up to his death he had been working on a project to build two cottages in High Town, Bridgnorth, where he had been living on site in a rented apartment.
Emma Bate, 25, from Birmingham, denied Mr Sherratt's murder when she appeared in court yesterday.
