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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Omelette-spiking murderer jailed | Omelette-spiking murderer jailed |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| A man who spiked his girlfriend's omelette with sleeping pills, beat her and trapped her by setting fire to her home, has been jailed for life. | A man who spiked his girlfriend's omelette with sleeping pills, beat her and trapped her by setting fire to her home, has been jailed for life. |
| Neighbours failed to save Dina Sharpe, 36, who called out for help from her burning flat in Southwark, south London while holding a 17-month-old boy. | Neighbours failed to save Dina Sharpe, 36, who called out for help from her burning flat in Southwark, south London while holding a 17-month-old boy. |
| The toddler survived but suffered 75% burns, the Old Bailey jury heard. | The toddler survived but suffered 75% burns, the Old Bailey jury heard. |
| Stephen Singer, 36, of Southwark, was ordered to spend a minimum of 23 years in jail for the killing last August. | |
| The court was told that Singer had been having a three-year relationship with Miss Sharpe while living with another woman. | |
| Things came to a head last summer when the woman found out and threw him out. | |
| Judge Stephen Kramer said: "You are a controlling person who was prepared chillingly to use aggression and deceit to take control of a complex triangle of your own making." | |
| Stephen Singer was having relationships with two women | Stephen Singer was having relationships with two women |
| The court was told neighbours heard Miss Sharpe's cries from her fourth-floor flat in Charlton House in the early hours of 3 August. | |
| She was also seen at the window holding the child, with flames in the background. | |
| Andrew Munday, QC, prosecuting, said neighbours were able to save the boy, who was found on the bed shielded partly by Miss Sharpe's body. | Andrew Munday, QC, prosecuting, said neighbours were able to save the boy, who was found on the bed shielded partly by Miss Sharpe's body. |
| He said a post-mortem examination found the victim died from brain damage due to injuries on her face and head, and her blood contained traces of sleeping pills which were also found in a glass of wine and half an omelette at the flat. | He said a post-mortem examination found the victim died from brain damage due to injuries on her face and head, and her blood contained traces of sleeping pills which were also found in a glass of wine and half an omelette at the flat. |
| 'Horrific case' | |
| Police said Singer "viciously assaulted" her when the drugs took effect. | Police said Singer "viciously assaulted" her when the drugs took effect. |
| Miss Sharpe's cousin, Deborah Judge, told the court: "To us, Dina died a hero. | |
| "We will never understand why Stephen Singer didn't just walk away." | |
| Outside court, Det Ch Insp Carl Mehta said: "This is an absolutely horrific case and the level of callousness and brutality used by Singer to plan and execute the murder is just unimaginable." | |
| Singer, 37, was also jailed concurrently for 20 years for the attempted murder of a toddler and six years for arson. |