Man murdered mum and tried to bury her in garden

Sundeep Singh been arrested on suspicion of controlling and coercive behaviour and was released on bail before the murder

A man who murdered his 76-year-old mother and tried to bury her in the back garden has been jailed for at least 31 years.

Bhajan Kaur was found with "significant" head and face injuries, with a large hole discovered in the garden of the property in Bolsover Street, Leicester, on 13 May.

Sundeep Singh had thought the family home was left to him by his late father, and this caused arguments, Leicestershire Police said.

The 48-year-old had been reported to police by Mrs Kaur, and he was previously arrested on suspicion of controlling and coercive behaviour and bailed, before he was let into the house by his mother on the day of the killing.

Police found a large hole had been dug in the garden of the house in Bolsover Street

At the time of the killing, police said Singh had been living in his car on the driveway of the house, and had been let into the property on the day of Mrs Kaur's death.

CCTV evidence showed Singh later going to purchase a heavy duty two-wheeled trolley and spade from a nearby shop.

He then returned to the house and when relatives were unable to get hold of Mrs Kaur, they went to the property and found her body.

Within minutes of the call to police, Singh had been seen leaving the property and when detained, initially claimed he was someone else and denied all knowledge of his mother's death.

Singh was convicted of murder at Leicester Crown Court on Monday after a trial and jailed for life.

'Extremely distressing'

Due to previous police contact with Mrs Kaur and Singh, the matter was referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), with two police officers receiving "individual learning" as a result.

An IOPC spokesperson said: "Our investigation looked at the actions and decisions of police officers and staff when responding to and investigating incidents concerning Sundeep Singh between August 2023 and May 2024.

"In October 2024, we concluded that four officers did not have a case to answer for misconduct after they were investigated for potential breaches of police professional standards of behaviour.

"It was agreed that two officers involved in the May 2024 investigation should receive individual learning for failing to update investigation records or review progress, although it was apparent that investigative actions were being undertaken."

Det Ch Insp Mark Sinski, from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit (EMSOU) murder investigation team, added: "He [Singh] intended burying Mrs Kaur's body but was disturbed before he could do that.

"The house had been cleaned and there was a very strong smell of disinfectant. There was clear evidence showing the planning after her death.

"This has been an extremely distressing and challenging time for Mrs Kaur's family, they have been left devastated at the loss of their dear mother."