Indian Student brutally murdered Father of Two in Hayes

Indian student Manpreet Singh, aged 21, of no fixed address, was jailed for life after he brutally murdered a father of two in Hayes.

Thirty-seven-year-old Baljit Singh was found dead in an alleyway near Hayes train station at around 10:45 pm on April 25, 2020.

Paramedics arrived at Station Road, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

A post-mortem revealed that Baljit had suffered 20 different injuries, including broken bones in his neck, sternum and ribs, along with bruises and cuts.

Isleworth Crown Court heard that Manpreet had moved to England from India on a student visa in 2019.

Just weeks before the incident, he was introduced to Baljit through a mutual friend.

Baljit provided Manpreet with accommodation. However, the pair fell out after a “trivial argument” when they had both been drinking.

As a result, Manpreet was living with a friend, Jaspreet, at a homeless camp in the local area.

Despite the fallout, the three “met by chance” on the evening of the incident with Baljit already heavily intoxicated.

The trio spent the rest of the night drinking at a venue in Uxbridge Road, Hayes.

Having been spotted leaving the venue together, the three men entered an alleyway in Station Road.

While the alleyway was not covered by CCTV, cameras in the area showed Manpreet was with Baljit in the alleyway for 22 minutes.

Jaspreet left after just 76 seconds. He described hearing “drunken abuse” between the two, before seeing Manpreet on top of Baljit “pressing his throat with both hands”.

He tried to intervene, but was “pushed away and left as he was scared”.

The Indian student also “repeatedly stamped” on Baljit and it was “clear he was already dead” when he was found by a member of the public.

The person called 999 but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Manpreet was arrested and initially denied being with Baljit at the time of the attack.

But when CCTV footage of the two together was shown, he changed his story, admitting he was with Baljit but denied carrying out the attack.

On April 27, 2021, the Indian student admitted to murder.

Detective Inspector Adam Guttridge said Baljit would have “not been in a position to defend himself” from the fatal attack.

He added: “Baljit Singh suffered a brutal and sustained assault at the hands of Manpreet Singh – an assault which cost him his life.

“From what we know, Baljit would not have been in a position to defend himself given his slight frame and the amount of alcohol that he had consumed that evening.

“Manpreet Singh snapped in anger and took advantage of the circumstances to carry out this horribly violent attack.

“His problems with drink and his lifestyle may have played a part in the events that night, but they offer no excuse for taking another man’s life in such a vicious way.”

On April 28, 2021, His Honour Judge Robin Johnson said Baljit’s death was a “mindless piece of violence”.

He added: “He met his death in a sustained and brutal attack by you.

“It was a mindless piece of violence certainly triggered by the fact you were drunk.”

“You came to this country from India on a student visa in the summer of 2019.

“Your friend introduced you to Baljit and when you were in London, he assisted you in providing accommodation.

“You fell out and there was a drunken argument in which there was name-calling. Most people would describe it as a trivial argument.

“On the day you met by chance. Baljit was already heavily intoxicated – equivalent to five times over the legal drink-drive limit. You too were drunk.

“In any event, you ended up in an alleyway not covered by CCTV.

“Cameras operating show you were with him for 22 minutes and your friend there for 76 seconds. He heard drunken abuse between you two.

“He saw you on top of him and pressing on his throat with both hands. He tried to stop it, but was pushed away and left as he was scared.

“The injuries you inflicted were shocking. The strangling caused a double neck fracture and bruising.

“You repeatedly stamped on him, causing multiple fractures to his ribs.

“It is clear he was already dead when discovered by a stranger. This was a clearly unnecessary attack on a slender man.”

A victim impact statement by Baljit’s sister said that the murder had left two girls without their father.

MyLondon reported that Baljit had been in England trying to provide for his family in India.

Manpreet was jailed for life, to serve a minimum of 12 years in prison. He will be on license for the rest of his life.