Jury reaches verdict over man's 'violent and vicious' fatal attack on girlfriend

A man has been found guilty of a "violent and vicious" fatal attack on his girlfriend. Raj Sidpara, aged 50, called 999 hours after he had attacked Tarnjeet Riaz at his home, kicking and stamping on her, ripping her mouth apart.

When the emergency services arrived at his home in Tarbat Road, Thurnby Lodge, Leicester, they found Tarnjeet, 44, dead beside Sidpara's bed. He claimed she had been drunk and had injured herself falling over.

Five months after his arrest, he finally admitted attacking her, pleading guilty to manslaughter - but not guilty to murder. But today (Friday, November 22) the jury at Leicester Crown Court returned a guilty verdict to the murder charge.

READ MORE: Tarnjeet Riaz murder trial jury shown CCTV from night out that led to killing

Detective Inspector Emma Matts of Leicestershire Police said after the verdict: “Tarnjeet was subject to a violent and vicious attack at the hands of her partner which sadly led to her death. Even after committing the crime, Sidpara did not call emergency services for a number of hours and throughout the initial investigation continued to maintain that some of Tarnjeet’s injuries were caused from her falling over while drunk.

“It was quite clear early on that this was not the case and a thorough investigation was carried out. Sidpara later admitted to causing the injuries and denied his intention was to kill his partner.

"Again, thanks to the dedication and detailed work of police and the prosecuting team this has been disproven and the jury have found him guilty of murder.

"At the heart of this investigation has always been the strive to get justice for Tarnjeet’s family – they have lost a loved one in the most devastating way possible. I hope today’s verdict will give them a small amount of comfort to know that the man responsible for her killing is now behind bars.”

The jury heard during the trial that the victim, also known as Tarnjeet Chagger, was found with extensive trauma to her face, as well as multiple broken ribs. Sidpara's defence was that due to his excessive and frequent drinking he suffered from alcohol dependence, and because of this he had been unable to remember what had happened during the incident, on Monday, May 6.

The couple had been in a relationship for about five months, and the evening before the murder they had both been to What a Shot in Lewisher Road on the Troon Industrial Estate. Sidpara drove them back to Tarbat Road where the couple continued drinking with some neighbours.

They were seen arguing in the street at 1am on May 6. The prosecution case was that the fatal attack happened some time later, in the early hours of the morning. The emergency services were not called by Sidpara until about 1pm that day, and Ms Riaz was pronounced dead at 1.22pm.

Blood around the bedroom showed there had been an attack in that room and police also found Sidpara’s trainers, which had blood on both the top of the shoes and the soles. The injury to the victim's face were consistent with her being kicked and stamped on, the jury heard.

Sidpara is due to be sentenced later this month.