Man receives life sentence for fatal assault on girlfriend

A male individual has received a life sentence for the murder of his girlfriend, whom he subjected to a “merciless” assault involving punches, kicks, and stamps, subsequently leaving her to perish while he slept. Raj Sidpara, aged 50, was convicted of the murder of Tarnjeet Riaz, which occurred at his residence in Leicester during the early morning hours of 6 May. He had initially informed law enforcement that she had stumbled due to intoxication. The Leicester Crown Court was informed that Sidpara possessed an “established pattern of violence,” evidenced by multiple convictions for assaulting former partners. On Friday, he received a life sentence, stipulating a minimum imprisonment period of 20 years and 162 days. The court was told that Ms Riaz, also identified by her maiden name Chagger, sustained “two enormous black eyes,” cerebral bleeding, and 20 fractured ribs, in addition to other injuries. Sidpara persisted with his assault sometime after 01:50, while Ms Riaz lay “defenceless” and face up on the floor of his bedroom. Judge William Harbage, speaking to Sidpara, stated: “You then took your bloodied shoes off, went to bed and then slept until morning.” By that time, Ms Riaz had passed away. Sidpara contacted 999 around lunchtime and received instructions via telephone on how to perform CPR; however, the court was informed that she was already “cold.” Surveillance camera footage from a bar, recorded before the assault, indicated that Sidpara seemed angered by Ms Riaz, who was “unstable” on her feet, and the court was told he was “irritated by her drunkenness.” He subsequently denied responsibility for her death, asserting in a police interview that she possessed a “drinking problem and had fallen over.” The court was informed that Sidpara was evidently “prone to outbursts of anger,” though the specific trigger for his assault on Ms Riaz that evening remained unclear. The judge remarked: “You have steadfastly refused to explain what you did or why.” The judge stated his certainty that Sidpara’s assertions of having no recollection of the events were “false,” noting that he could recall other occurrences from that night. He added: “What’s clear is that you attacked her in a savage and merciless way.” He further stated: “You punched, kicked and stamped on her in a sustained attack.” Sidpara, who had been diagnosed with an alcohol dependence syndrome, subsequently admitted guilt to manslaughter but contested the murder charge. The judge commented: “Your conspicuous lack of remorse at any stage was quite remarkable.” The court was informed that Sidpara had a history of 24 prior convictions for 46 offenses, a significant number of which were driving-related, alongside convictions for violent acts, death threats, and harassment targeting former girlfriends and their associates. In 2022, he was found guilty of assaulting a former partner, whom he had headbutted and menaced with petrol bombing her residence. A statement presented on behalf of Ms Riaz’s brother, Balraj Chagger, who attended court with his sister Harpreet Chagger, asserted that if his sister’s life had not been taken, “it would have been someone else.” He stated: “All Taz wanted was to be loved and she gave 1,000%.” He further mentioned that his mother was left with the regret of “welcoming this monster into our family.” He concluded: “She wanted to live a life filled with love, joy and purpose. She deserved every bit of that future.” For updates, follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, X, or Instagram. Submit your news ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or through WhatsApp at 0808 100 2210. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our policy on external linking is available.