Three jailed after 'sick beating' killed man in Tividale
Three men who subjected a father-of-three to a 'sustained and sickening beating' that ultimately cost his life were today starting jail terms of a combined 39 years.
Paramjit Johal, Inderjit Dhesi and Paramjit Singh each received 13-year sentences after being found guilty of the manslaughter of Balbir Singh, who was found dead in a dingy flat in Tividale earlier this year.
The 54-year-old Sikh Balbir suffered 155 separate injuries during a three-day ordeal, and had his beard and moustache shaved off, his turban was removed and his face had been painted.
Pictures were also found on Paramjit Singh's phone which showed Balbir naked on a chair.
Judge John Warner described it as a 'sustained course of violence' as he passed sentence at Wolverhampton Crown Court yesterday.
He said: "Mr Singh suffered 155 different injuries which represents an enormous amount of acts of violence. This man was abused and attacked on a number of occasions over a long period of time. His wife said he told her on the phone he was being tortured. It is not very far from being an accurate description in my view.
"He must have suffered repeated pain at your hands.
"You were all also Sikhs and would each have been aware of the added humiliation he must have suffered. One can only assume it provided you some kind of perverted entertainment or satisfaction to treat him in this way."
During the trial the court heard how Balbir suffered bruising and fractured ribs. Balbir's body was discovered at his home in Baldwin Close on March 5 after Johal phoned emergency services. He told the operator a person who was drunk had fallen over and died.
Giving evidence during the trial, Johal said he lied to emergency services because he was trying to protect his nephew, Dhesi.
Det Sgt Mick Griffiths, from Force CID, welcomed the sentences.
Johal, aged 50, of Baldwin Close in Tividale, Inderjit Dhesi, 31 of Brades Road in Oldbury, and Paramjit Singh, 46, of Wallace Park Road in Kent, will each serve half their sentence before being released on licence.
