Father Beaten to Death with Cricket Bat by Drug Addict Son

Bradford Crown Court heard that a man was beaten to death by his drug addict son the day after he celebrated his 59th birthday.

Santokh ‘Charlie’ Singh was savagely beaten by 25-year-old Phillip Badwal, who used a cricket bat to rain down blows on his father’s head and body.

He also allegedly kicked and stamped on his father, even changing his footwear during the attack.

It is likely that Badwal used a metal dog bowl during the beating.

The blood-stained cricket bat was later found in a neighbour’s garden and the dented dog bowl also had Mr Singh’s blood on it.

Richard Wright QC, prosecuting, said Mr Singh was desperate to move out of the family home he shared with his wife and Badwal.

On his birthday, his older son from a previous relationship showed him a new flat they had found for him.

Mr Singh suffered fractures to his skull and bruising to his brain as well as a broken bone in his leg and fractured ribs.

The living room of the three-bedroom house on Airedale Road was covered in blood.

Mr Wright said: “In other words, this was not one short-lived assault, but a prolonged incident in which the injured and bleeding Charlie Singh had likely crawled about the living room as the attack upon him had continued.

“There in the living room of his own home Charlie Singh had been beaten to death by his own son.

“He had been murdered by Phillip Badwal.”

Badwal denied murder but he reportedly pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

According to Mr Wright, after the attack, Badwal prioritised his own efforts to feed his drug addiction by using the victim’s phone to contact drug dealers.

On November 30, 2020, at 8:25 am, Badwal made a 999 call in which he claimed that his father had come home with his face “all smashed up” and had already been assaulted.

Parademics arrived at the house and despite their efforts, Mr Singh died before he could be taken to hospital.

Mr Wright said Mr Singh’s plan to move out of the family home may have been the catalyst for the attack.

Mr Singh regularly complained about feeling threatened in his home and had spoken about being assaulted by Badwal on numerous occasions.

He also complained about having to settle his son’s drug debts and being expected to go out and get drugs for Badwal.

The day before his death, Mr Singh and his older sons went to look at his new flat.

Mr Wright said: “Within a few hours of leaving his older sons his youngest son Phillip Badwal beat and kicked him to death.”

The trial continues.