A man who fatally stabbed wife after she began divorce proceedings sentenced to life imprisonment.
Harminder Mattu, 51, murdered his wife, Paramjit Kaur, 46, at their home on Swan Crescent, Oldbury, on 30 March 2025. At Wolverhampton Crown Court, Judge John Butterfield KC handed him a life sentence with a minimum term of 18 years, citing a history of violence and coercive behaviour as significant aggravating factors.
The court heard that Kaur had taken steps to leave the marriage, filing for divorce just two months before her death, following years of abuse. Previous incidents included physical assault, destruction of property, and an earlier episode where Mattu had strangled her to the point of unconsciousness. Despite this, Kaur had not pursued criminal charges at the time.
During the trial, Mattu attempted to deflect responsibility, claiming his wife had been intoxicated and initially armed with a knife. He alleged he had acted in self-defence. However, the jury rejected his account, finding that he had intended to kill her.
Medical evidence confirmed that Kaur died from sustained pressure to her neck, with the stabbing occurring after she had likely lost consciousness. In sentencing, the judge made clear that the duration and nature of the strangulation demonstrated a clear intention to kill.
The court also heard that Kaur had previously left the family home but had returned after Mattu expressed suicidal ideation, a tactic often associated with coercive control.
In a victim impact statement, her family described her as a kind, hardworking and generous woman who was deeply loved and is profoundly missed.
Sikh Women’s Aid welcomed the sentencing, while strongly condemning the perpetrator’s actions throughout the judicial process.
Sukhvinder Kaur, Chair of Sikh Women’s Aid, said: “This is a deeply distressing case that reflects the devastating reality of domestic abuse when women attempt to leave. We welcome the life sentence handed down to Harminder Mattu, but no sentence can bring Paramjit back to her family.
We are disgusted that the perpetrator chose to deny responsibility for murder, forcing Paramjit’s loved ones to endure the trauma of a full trial. This was a process that could have been avoided had he been truthful from the outset. Instead, he prolonged their suffering in an attempt to evade accountability.
Paramjit had taken the brave step to leave an abusive marriage. Like so many women, she faced escalating risk at the point of separation. Her death must serve as a stark reminder that coercive control, prior violence, and threats of self-harm are critical warning signs that must be taken seriously by all agencies.
Our thoughts remain with Parmjit's family. We will continue to fight for systems that recognise risk earlier and protect women when they need it most.”