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| Life for murder plot grandmother | Life for murder plot grandmother |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A grandmother who ordered the so-called "honour killing" of her daughter-in-law has been jailed for life. | A grandmother who ordered the so-called "honour killing" of her daughter-in-law has been jailed for life. |
| Bachan Athwal and her son Sukhdave, 43, arranged the murder of Surjit Athwal, 27, who vanished during a trip to India in 1998, the Old Bailey heard. | Bachan Athwal and her son Sukhdave, 43, arranged the murder of Surjit Athwal, 27, who vanished during a trip to India in 1998, the Old Bailey heard. |
| Bachan, 70, and her son, both of Hayes, west London, were found guilty of murder in July. | Bachan, 70, and her son, both of Hayes, west London, were found guilty of murder in July. |
| Bachan must serve at least 20 years in jail and her son was jailed for a minimum of 27 years. | Bachan must serve at least 20 years in jail and her son was jailed for a minimum of 27 years. |
| Judge Giles Forrester told the pair: "The pair of you decided that the so-called honour of your family members was worth more than the life of this young woman. | |
| "You, Bachan, were head of that family. I have no doubt you exercised a controlling influence over other family members." | |
| Victim had affair | Victim had affair |
| During the trial jurors heard Surjit vanished "off the surface of the earth" after attending a family wedding in Punjab with her mother-in-law, almost nine years ago. | |
| Prosecutors claimed Bachan, who has 16 grandchildren, ordered Surjit's death at a family meeting after finding out she had been having an affair and wanted a divorce. | Prosecutors claimed Bachan, who has 16 grandchildren, ordered Surjit's death at a family meeting after finding out she had been having an affair and wanted a divorce. |
| Bachan vowed a divorce would could only take place "over my dead body". | Bachan vowed a divorce would could only take place "over my dead body". |
| It was years later when frightened relatives went to police, giving them the evidence they needed to charge Bachan and her son. | |
| Jurors heard Bachan had boasted that she had got rid of Surjit by getting a relative to strangle her and throw her body into a river. |