Oldbury murder trial: Home Office pathologist gives evidence as husband pleads not guilty to killing wife Paramjit Kaur at Wolverhampton Crown Court
Wolverhampton Crown Court hears evidence from a Home Office pathologist as Oldbury husband Harminder Mattu denies murdering his wife Paramjit Kaur
A Home Office pathologist giving evidence on the third day of a trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court of an Oldbury man accused of killing his wife said there was clear evidence of her having pressure applied to her neck.
Paramjit Kaur, aged 46 was found dead on Monday, March 31 around 8am at the home in Swan Crescent, Oldbury she shared with husband Harminder Mattu, who is on trial for her murder.
Doctor Alexander Kolar, a pathologist who examined Mrs Kaur's body in the mortuary at University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire, took the stand at the court and said there was 'clear evidence of neck pressure' and that it was an important factor in her death.
But he also said there was clear evidence of her suffering a sharp force injury described as being a "stab-type wound" which had "gone 2.4 centimetres into her body".
Under cross examination by prosecuting barrister Mr Jonathon Barker, who suggested Mrs Kaur may have suffered asphyxiation, the doctor said he would stop short of describing it as that, but said there was evidence of pressure being applied to various parts of her body.
He said: "There was internal bleeding and on the skin surface, damage to the jaw bone and both the upper and lower jaw with the evidence of pressure being applied there as well. I would say there were clear signs of trauma though I would stop short of categorising it as asphyxia.
"Her face was red in colour, there was bleeding on the inside of eyelids and the inside of the lips were damaged with clear evidence of them being pressed against her teeth, all these I saw as red flags towards applied neck pressure.
Mr Barker asked what Dr Kolar was told when he first went to the hospital to carry out the examination, and he said he had been given information that Mrs Kaur had been stabbed.
Dr Kolar said: "But there were also scratch marks to her neck with clear signs of a struggle and there was evidence of haemorrhaging and there was also discolour in the front and back of her hands with showed evidence of them being gripped tightly."
When asked, he said he was aware of a previous incident in February 2023 when Mattu was alleged to have placed his hand around her throat, causing her to struggle to breathe and eventually lose consciousness.
Mattu, aged 50, of Swan Crescent Oldbury denies murder. The trial contines.