This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-66087447
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Kettering: Saju Chelavalel jailed for murdering wife and children | Kettering: Saju Chelavalel jailed for murdering wife and children |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Saju Chelavalel, 52, admitted to the triple murder of his wife and children | Saju Chelavalel, 52, admitted to the triple murder of his wife and children |
| A man who admitted murdering his wife and their two children has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 40 years. | A man who admitted murdering his wife and their two children has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 40 years. |
| Anju Asok, 35, Jeeva Saju, six, and Janvi Saju, four, were found with serious injuries at Saju Chelavalel's home in Kettering in Northamptonshire on 15 December 2022. | |
| Chelavalel, 52, of Petherton Court, pleaded guilty in April. | |
| Ms Asok, a nurse, died at the scene and the children died later in hospital. | Ms Asok, a nurse, died at the scene and the children died later in hospital. |
| Post-mortem examinations found all three victims died from asphyxiation, Northamptonshire Police said. | |
| Chelavalel, originally from Kerala in India, claimed he lost control while drunk in the belief that his wife was having an affair, killing her at around 22:00 GMT on 14 December at their ground-floor flat in Petherton Court, Kettering. | |
| Northampton Crown Court heard how Chelavalel had more than four hours "to reflect on whether to kill his children" before using a dressing gown cord to strangle them in the early hours of the following morning. | |
| Sentencing him, Judge Mr Justice Pepperall said: "While you were squeezing the life out of your wife, your young children were screaming for their mummy. | |
| "I cannot be sure if they were eyewitnesses but it is clear that they heard what was going on and knew that she was being hurt by you." | |
| Anju Asok and her two daughters died from asphyxiation on 15 December | |
| Prosecutor James Newton-Price KC said there was no evidence to support the claim that Anju had been unfaithful. | |
| However an examination of Chelavalel's phone showed that he had been searching dating websites for other women while she was at work. | |
| The court was played a harrowing recording found on the defendant's phone of banging noises followed by the sound of a woman screaming or gasping and a child crying or calling out. | |
| Mr Newton Price said it was the prosecution's belief that it was a recording of Anju being strangled. | |
| The body of Anju Ashok was found on the floor of an adjoining bedroom. The couple's children were described in a police statement as "laying perfectly side-by-side on the double bed". | |
| Follow East of England news on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Got a story? Email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 0800 169 1830 | Follow East of England news on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Got a story? Email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 0800 169 1830 |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Kettering | Kettering |