British Sikh woman, Jageer Mirgind has been left blind after her father in law, Manjit Singh Mirgind, 51 attacked his daughter in law, accusing her of discrediting the family after he was convinced she was ‘sleeping with a Paki.’
The attack which occurred in the woman’s Ilford, East London home on December 18th last year came about after the father in law came to believe Jageer had been unfaithful to his son, subsequently in a fit of rage, taking to slashing his daughter in law’s wrists and stabbing her in the eyes, all the while screaming ‘I am going to kill you.’
After initially punching his daughter in law in the face the father in law dragged Jageer Mirgind into the kitchen where he savagely kicked her before grabbing a knife.
Eventually leaving the house, he went home as his wife called an ambulance for Jageer Mirgind.
Upon his own recognisance the man would later turn himself in, telling cops exactly what had happened.
The attack would leave the woman, who had in fact only been the recipient of prank calls partially blind and scarred for life.
During the attack, Jageer Mirgind’s children, just three and six years old pleaded with their grandfather to stop.
Since the attack the children are said to no longer being able to sleep alone and having recurring nightmares.
The father in law as it would be later revealed, wrongly believed his daughter-in-law was ‘sleeping with a Paki’ and that she had ‘ruined his family’, Snaresbrook Crown Court heard.
Told Judge Nigel Peters QC during court proceedings: ‘You have accepted that you have caused the most serious injuries to your daughter in law.
‘You set about her having taken umbrage because you felt she was having affairs when it turned out she had been receiving prank calls.
‘You set out with great hostility and vengeance – you punched her, forced to the ground and kicked her and took knives to her face and wrist to gouge her eyes.
‘She has since lost a lot of sight in both eyes and there is major scarring to her face.
‘She has a stutter as well, most likely caused by the loss of confidence and lack of sleep and general work.
‘So distressing was that her children, your grandchildren, witnessed it from start to finish and pleaded with you to stop but you did not stop.’
The father-of-four would subsequently be sentenced to for ten years and eight months jail.
Crown lawyer Jonathan Turner said the woman’s children had suffered, having begged the defendant to stop and they saw the blood everywhere.
‘Their life has changed and they cannot sleep alone while the marriage of their parents has disintegrated.’
The court heard the defendant had been a leading member of the Sikh community and often drove young worshippers to the temple.
In a statement read by his lawyer Edward Boateng-Addo, he said: ‘I am a hard-working family man who left his job to care for his ill mother seven years ago.
‘I was stressed out at the time and nothing can excuse what I did.
‘I was trying to protect her – I am a peaceful and honest man and I know I will not have the chance to apologise but I do look to the court to say how sorry I am.’
Manjit Singh Mirgind had initially been charged with attempted murder but prosecutors later accepted a plea of causing grievous bodily harm with intent in order to avoid having to go to trial.
A single count of attempted murder has been left to lie on the court file.
