Lakhvir Singh

Case information

Defendant: Lakhvir Singh Known alias/nickname: "The Curry Killer" Method used: aconitine (aconite; wolfsbane; "Queen of Poisons") added to food Main allegation: poisoning in a curry

Timeline

• December 6, 2008 — Cheema was hospitalized for a week after consuming a meal prepared by Singh with suspected poisoning.
• October 2008 — Singh broke off a 16-year affair with Cheema to marry a younger woman.
• January 27 — Singh went to Cheema’s home and laced a curry in his refrigerator with poison, knowing she and his fiancée were planning to eat the dish that evening.
• January 28 — Cheema died within an hour of arrival at hospital; Singh was accused and later tried for murder and other offences.
• January 12, 2010 — Cheema’s alleged cheating with Singh was raised at the Old Bailey, including references to text messages and Singh denying murder and attempted murder.
• February 10, 2010 — Singh was convicted of the murder of Lakhvinder Cheema and grievous bodily harm against his new fiancée (with findings including acquittals noted below).
• February 11, 2010 — Singh was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 23 years.

Background

Lakhvir Singh had a 16-year affair with Lakhvinder Cheema after his first marriage failed. The main event leading up to the murder was Cheema breaking off the sixteen-year affair to marry a younger woman in October 2008.

Singh became known as "The Curry Killer" because she poisoned food by adding poison to it. The case involved premeditation and noted that Singh traveled to India to procure aconitine.

The offence

Singh used the poison aconitine/aconite to poison Cheema and his fiancée.

After the break-up, Cheema was hospitalized for a week with suspected poisoning after consuming a meal prepared by Singh.

A month later, Singh returned from a trip to India with the aconite that would later be used in the murder.

On January 27, Singh went to the victim's home and laced a curry in Cheema’s refrigerator with the poison, knowing that she and Cheema’s fiancée were planning to eat the dish that evening. After the curry dinner, Cheema began to vomit, his face became numb, he soon lost vision, and he lost the use of his limbs. Cheema died within an hour of arrival at hospital after being taken there with help arranged by his sister.

Choongh also suffered the same symptoms, but she was placed into a medically induced coma and made a full recovery.

During a 999 call, Cheema stated he had been poisoned by his ex-girlfriend.

Investigation

Police found evidence consistent with the poison being on or near Singh, including a plastic bag containing brown powder in Singh’s coat. Singh claimed it was medication for a rash on her neck, whereas it was said to be aconite matching the poison found in the curry.

A bag containing brown powder was also described as being found in Singh’s coat.

In addition, police found bags of herbs in Singh’s coat and in a handbag at her home in Southall, West London, which were said to contain the poison.

The case noted that the last prosecution for murder using aconite had been George Henry Lamson in 1882.

Arrest

Singh was arrested after police found the poison in items associated with her, including in her coat and in a handbag at her home. When she was arrested, she claimed the herbs were for a neck rash.

Trial

The trial took place at the Old Bailey in 2010.

Charges and key trial events

The court heard that Singh attempted to blame her brother-in-law Varinda for the crime, but a lodger had witnessed Singh taking the curry out of the fridge on the day of the murder.

The prosecution sought life imprisonment with a minimum term of 30 years, citing the gravity of the case, the degree of premeditation, and that there were two victims.

Singh was convicted on 10 February 2010 of:

• the murder of Lakhvinder Cheema
• causing grievous bodily harm against his new fiancée (Choongh), who survived the attack

It was stated that Singh was acquitted of:

• attempted murder
• administering poison to the ex-lover’s food on a previous occasion

There was also a charge related to an earlier alleged attack in December 2008; at points during the proceedings, jurors were said to be deliberating on a charge of administering poison in relation to that previous alleged attack.

Sentencing

Singh received a life sentence with a minimum term of 23 years.

At sentencing at the Old Bailey, Judge Paul Worsley told Singh:

"You were not just a spurned lover, you did not simply explode in anger at your rejection. You set about a cold and calculating revenge."

The Crown had sought life imprisonment with a minimum term of 30 years, but Singh received life imprisonment with a 23-year minimum term.

Appeals

No appeal outcome was included in the provided material.

Outcome

Singh was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 23 years on February 11, 2010.

Victims and survival

Lakhvinder Cheema died within an hour of arrival at hospital after the poisoning. Gurjeet Choongh was placed into a medically induced coma and made a full recovery.

Other details

• Victims of aconite poisoning were described as suffering severe vomiting, becoming paralysed, and having the sensation of ants crawling over their body; their organs stop working and death occurs from asphyxiation, while the person remains conscious throughout.
• The case was described as unusual for murder using aconite.
• Cheema was described as naming his killer with his last breath.
• Judge at sentencing was Paul Worsley.
• Singh’s previous marriage and family circumstances were described as part of the background and motive narrative, including that she was married with three children and had an affair while her husband was receiving treatment for cancer.
• Other relationships mentioned: Singh was related to Cheema by marriage (brother-in-law relationship referenced via Varinda).
• Events surrounding Cheema and the fiancée: The material described that Cheema and his fiancée planned to marry, and that Singh was reported to have used poison to prevent the relationship progressing.
• A message quoted from text communication mentioned:

  "You be my loved and I will give you all my love."

• Another text message quoted stated:

  "I wait with hope for the night we meet each other in a dream."

• A quote attributed to the barrister (as a question) was:

  'I am going to cover my hands with Lucky's blood and only then my aggression and my anger will calm down'

• A quote attributed to Miss Choongh included:

  'He said: "I am going to burn your house down."'
  'Lucky said he couldn't see anything and he was losing all feeling in his body.'
  'I was feeling the same as Lucky. Everything was going dark, I began to feel dizzy, I wasn't able to stand up and my tummy was hurting. Lucky also started vomiting.'

• A quote attributed to Singh at trial was not included as a direct statement in the material, but Judge Worsley’s sentencing remarks were included verbatim as above.