British Sikh elderly man pleads guilty to murder of wife with wooden bat

London, August 1

A 79-year-old British Sikh man, who walked into a London police station earlier this year to inform officers that he had killed his wife, has pleaded guilty to murdering her with a hard wooden bat used in the English game of rounders.

Tarsame Singh appeared at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Monday where he admitted killing his wife Maya Devi, 77, at their home address in Hornchurch, east London. He will be sentenced at the same court on September 29.

“This is a tragic case and one which has left the couple’s three children utterly distraught,” said Metropolitan Police Detective Chief Inspector Mark Rogers, who led the investigation.

“No one should ever lose their mother in this way and we will continue to think of, and support them, at this difficult time. Singh has never admitted what caused him to act in such a violent way that evening but we are pleased he has pleaded guilty and will now face a significant custodial sentence,” he said.

On May 2, Singh walked into Romford police station in east London and told the front desk that he had just killed his wife.

Met Police officers immediately attended the house on Cowdray Way in Elm Park and found Maya Devi unresponsive on the living room floor. The wooden rounders bat was found nearby.

The Met Police said “significant” amounts of blood staining were found on the carpet and nearby walls.

Maya Devi was pronounced dead at the scene and a post-mortem examination found the cause of death to be blunt force head injuries. Tarsame Singh was charged the next day and remanded into custody.