Two Tipton men who were part of gang who killed DPD worker in Shrewsbury are given life sentences
Two men who were part of a gang which ambushed and killed a DPD worker on the streets of Shrewsbury have been jailed for life.
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Sehajpal Singh, 26, and Mehakdeep Singh, 24, both formerly of Shaw Road in Tipton, were convicted of the murder of Aurman Singh last month.
At a sentencing hearing this morning both men were locked up for life, with a minimum term of 28 years.
Aurman was killed after being ambushed by a gang of eight men who had used information from an inside man, working at DPD, who provided them with the victim’s location.
The men had driven from Tipton in two cars - a white Mercedes and a grey Audi. Seven of the men chased Aurman in Shrewsbury’s normally quiet Berwick Avenue while wielding a host of terrifying weapons, including an axe, a knife, a golf club, a wooden stave, a hockey stick and a shovel.
Aurman was left with severe injuries from the attack and died at the scene despite the efforts of a resident who came to his aid, and paramedics who attended the scene.
Last year, four men, who had been in the Audi, were jailed for 28 years each for murder.
Another man, Sukmandeep Singh, who had been the inside man from DPD was jailed for 10 years for manslaughter.
In the wake of Aurman’s killing both Sehajpal, who had wielded a shovel during the attack, and Mehakdeep, who had a hockey stick, fled the country.
They were eventually arrested in Austria and extradited after 52 days in custody in the European country.
Sentencing Judge Simon Hirst said Aurman had been killed in an attack of “horrifying brutality”.
He said: “This was a carefully planned and executed murder in which everyone present played a part.“It is unclear why Aurman was murdered. It seems highly unlikely to have been because of the attack on Melkeet Singh at the kabaddi tournament.
“Plainly you know but are not prepared to say what the real issue was.”
Judge Hirst rejected suggestions from barristers mitigating for both defendants that they should receive lesser sentences than the four men convicted of murder last year.
They had argued that there was no actual evidence they had used their weapons in the attack.
The previous trial had heard that blows struck by Jagdeep Singh and Arshdeep Singh, using an axe and a golf club respectively, were likely responsible for Aurman’s death.
He had also been stabbed although it was never confirmed who had wielded the knife.
But Judge Hirst said: “While I cannot be sure either of you inflicted any direct violence you were both involved in planning what happened, liaison between the two cars, liaison with Sukmandeep about where Aurman was and thereafter were at the very least stood next to those who inflicted the fatal injuries and were ready to act if necessary.”
Judge Hirst jailed both for life with a minimum term of 28 years.
