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| Life term for curry poison killer | Life term for curry poison killer |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A woman found guilty of murdering her former lover of 16 years by poisoning his curry at his west London home has been jailed for life. | A woman found guilty of murdering her former lover of 16 years by poisoning his curry at his west London home has been jailed for life. |
| Lakhvinder Cheema, 39, died hours after eating the meal with his new fiancee at his home in Feltham in January 2009. | Lakhvinder Cheema, 39, died hours after eating the meal with his new fiancee at his home in Feltham in January 2009. |
| At the Old Bailey, Lakhvir Singh, 45, was convicted of his murder and will serve a minimum term of 23 years. | At the Old Bailey, Lakhvir Singh, 45, was convicted of his murder and will serve a minimum term of 23 years. |
| Sentencing her, Judge Paul Worsley said: "You set about a cold and calculating revenge." | |
| "You were not just a spurned lover, you did not simply explode in anger at your rejection." | |
| On Wednesday, Singh, of Southall, was cleared of attempting to murder Gurjeet Choongh, Mr Cheema's fiancee. | |
| However, the jury found the defendant guilty of causing Ms Choongh grievous bodily harm with intent. | However, the jury found the defendant guilty of causing Ms Choongh grievous bodily harm with intent. |
| After deliberating for a further day, the jury cleared Singh of a charge of administering poison to Mr Cheema in December 2008, a month before his death. | After deliberating for a further day, the jury cleared Singh of a charge of administering poison to Mr Cheema in December 2008, a month before his death. |
| Poison traced | |
| On that occasion Mr Cheema was discharged from hospital after a week but doctors were unable to say what had caused his sickness. | On that occasion Mr Cheema was discharged from hospital after a week but doctors were unable to say what had caused his sickness. |
| The jury heard Singh could not bear the thought of her lover's marriage to 22-year-old Miss Choongh and laced the food with Indian aconite, known as the Queen of Poisons. | The jury heard Singh could not bear the thought of her lover's marriage to 22-year-old Miss Choongh and laced the food with Indian aconite, known as the Queen of Poisons. |
| After her arrest Singh, a mother-of-three, tried to blame her brother-in-law Varinder for the death. | |
| But a lodger at the house saw her take a container with the curry out of the fridge earlier in the day, the court heard. | But a lodger at the house saw her take a container with the curry out of the fridge earlier in the day, the court heard. |
| Lakhvinder Cheema was known as Lucky | Lakhvinder Cheema was known as Lucky |
| The court heard that after the engagement became final in November 2008, Singh went to India and returned three weeks later. Another week later, Mr Cheema was taken to hospital. | The court heard that after the engagement became final in November 2008, Singh went to India and returned three weeks later. Another week later, Mr Cheema was taken to hospital. |
| Miss Choongh gave evidence in the trial detailing how the couple fell ill while discussing their wedding plans. | Miss Choongh gave evidence in the trial detailing how the couple fell ill while discussing their wedding plans. |
| "Lucky said to me 'I am not feeling very well. My face has become numb and when I touch it, I cannot feel it'." | "Lucky said to me 'I am not feeling very well. My face has become numb and when I touch it, I cannot feel it'." |
| Ms Choongh had a shower and then said she began feeling similar symptoms. | Ms Choongh had a shower and then said she began feeling similar symptoms. |
| "He said that everything seemed to be going dark. He could not see anything and was losing feelings in his body," Ms Choongh said. | "He said that everything seemed to be going dark. He could not see anything and was losing feelings in his body," Ms Choongh said. |
| He died within an hour of arriving at the West Middlesex Hospital. | He died within an hour of arriving at the West Middlesex Hospital. |
| 'Feel emptiness' | |
| The last thing Ms Choongh remembers is sitting on a hospital bed before being placed in a coma for two days while doctors traced the poison and gave her an antidote. | The last thing Ms Choongh remembers is sitting on a hospital bed before being placed in a coma for two days while doctors traced the poison and gave her an antidote. |
| Police later found traces of the poison among herbs in Singh's coat pocket and in her handbag. | Police later found traces of the poison among herbs in Singh's coat pocket and in her handbag. |
| Miss Choongh said in a victim impact statement she still suffers the stress of having been close to death. | |
| "I still do not feel fully recovered and I believe it will affect me for the rest of my life," she said. | |
| Mr Cheema's sister, Narinder Singh, 48, who is also the sister-in-law of Lakhvir Singh's husband, said in a statement: "When he was around I never felt that I needed anyone. | |
| "Now I feel as if there is only emptiness in my life." |