Mother Jaskirat Kaur handed hospital order after killing 10-year-old daughter Shay Kang
A mother has been handed an indefinite hospital order after admitting to killing her 10-year-old daughter.
Jaskirat Kaur, 33, denied murder but pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Shay Kang on the basis of diminished responsibility at Wolverhampton Crown Court in August.
The court heard Kaur was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia and believed she was being targeted by “lasers and technology” before stabbing her daughter 11 times in the chest as she slept on Monday 4 March.
Hours after the stabbing, Kaur phoned West Midlands Police and said: “My kid is dead.”
When police arrived at the home in Robin Close, Rowley Regis, Kaur told officers she had seen “projections coming in and out” of the room, adding: “It was me (that killed her) because I didn’t want her getting took by.”
Kaur showed no emotion whilst being sentenced on Friday.
Shay Kang. Pic: West Midlands Police
She previously admitted she had wanted to kill her daughter for the past seven months, telling detectives during a police interview: “They can’t adopt her, they can’t take her. It’s not going to make sense, but to me it does.
“I was worried about Shay growing up. I knew that there needed to be an end date.
“I would kill her again. I wanted her to die, I don’t regret it.”
A ‘fun-loving child’
In a tribute released by Brickhouse Primary School, Year 5 pupil Shay was described as a “bright, happy, fun-loving child who was well-liked by all”.
Kayleigh Colclough, a friend who Shay and her mother lived with for the first five years of the youngster’s life, said Shay “was an old soul – she was special, advanced, clever, funny”.
Kaur admitted manslaughter by diminished responsibility
Kayleigh Colclough, Shay Kang and Jaskirat Kaur
“I just have the best memories of her, she made me happy,” she told Sky News.
“She would make me feel warm. That’s the sort of person she was.”
Ms Colclough, who said Shay called her godmother or aunt, “fell to the ground” and “just screamed” when she found out she had been killed.
Shay dancing with her mum
Kaur had “disgusted and disappointed” her, Ms Colclough added.
“She just doesn’t exist to me now,” she said. “At one point I had so much love for her as a sister, as a friend and there are certain points we had the best memories.
“But she just broke me when she took Shay and that’s one thing I can’t forgive.”
Ms Colclough said Kaur would have “angry outbursts” and while she knew she’d suffered “trauma”, she didn’t see any “signs of mental health” problems.
A young Shay
“I wanted it to go to trial. I just think it’s the easy way out,” she said of Kaur’s manslaughter plea.
She added: “For me, Shay will never be forgotten. I will always speak Shay’s name.
“Shay deserves justice. She’s a special child. She didn’t ask for a lot, she just wanted to be loved.
“I miss her and I’m heartbroken and I just want the world to change.”
Lucy Letby suggested she could give “tips” to a colleague on how to get away with murder, a public inquiry has heard.
The child serial killer exchanged WhatsApp messages in 2017 with union rep Hayley Griffiths about the US legal drama How To Get Away With Murder.
The discussion took place a year after the neonatal nurse was moved to clerical duties at the Countess of Chester Hospital following concerns she may have been deliberately harming babies.
In a message to Letby, Ms Griffiths wrote: “I’m currently watching a programme called how to get away with murder. I’m learning some good tips.”
Letby replied: “I could have given you some tips x”
Ms Griffiths said: “I need someone to practice on to see if I can get away with it.”
Letby wrote: “I can think of two people you could practice on and will help you cover it up x”
Ms Griffiths replied: “Deal. I will get thinking of a plan. Get the cruise booked as our getaway.”
The pair were working in the hospital’s risk and patient safety department a year before Letby was arrested on suspicion of multiple murders by Cheshire Police.
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How the police caught Lucy Letby
Ms Griffiths said she was aware of the concerns of foul play and the connection to Letby by September 2016.
Shahram Sharghy, representing some of the families of Letby’s victims, asked: “Given the severity of the allegations that were made, and would you agree they are possibly the most serious allegations that anybody could make against a healthcare professional, were you making light of those allegations when you were referring to potentially committing a crime?”
Ms Griffiths answered: “No.”
Mr Sharghy asked: “Can you even begin to imagine and put yourself in the position of the families of the babies who were harmed when they see those messages?”
Ms Griffiths said: “I know… I am so remorseful. As soon as I saw them myself I was upset and I can’t begin to imagine… I can only apologise and say I have learned. I can’t go back in time but I have reflected absolutely on it.”
Read more from the inquiry:
‘Cold’ Lucy Letby failed final year student nurse placement
‘Breathing tubes dislodged’ during Letby shifts
Nurses who worked with Letby ‘were thinking the unthinkable’
Earlier, Ms Griffiths told counsel to the inquiry Rachel Langdale KC: “It was nothing more than a conversation. However, I truly and deeply regret having started that conservation… this is completely unprofessional, poor judgement on my behalf and completely insensitive. And for that, I can only apologise from the bottom of my heart.”
Letby, 34, from Hereford, is currently serving 15 whole-life orders.
She was convicted at Manchester Crown Court of murdering seven infants and attempting to murder six others between June 2015 and June 2016.
The Thirlwall Inquiry into the events surrounding her crimes is expected to sit until early 2015. The findings are expected by late autumn that year.
UK
Newcastle: Three men arrested in connection with deadly house explosion and on suspicion of cannabis production
Three men have been arrested in connection with a deadly house explosion in Newcastle.
Seven-year-old Archie York and Jason Laws, who was in his 30s, were killed following the blast in Violet Close, in the Benwell and Elswick area of the city in October.
Police said at the time that six others were taken to hospital “with varying injuries” after the blast and subsequent fire.
Three men – two in their 30s and one in his 50s – have been arrested on suspicion of two counts of manslaughter, and the production of a Class B drug, namely cannabis, Northumbria Police said.
They all remain in police custody.
Detective Chief Inspector Katie Smith said: “This has been a truly tragic incident which resulted in the loss of two lives.
“As a result of our ongoing enquiries, three men have today been arrested in connection with the explosion.
“Our investigation will remain ongoing as we seek to provide answers to what has happened.
“We would continue to ask people to avoid speculation surrounding this incident both online and in the community.”
Read more UK news:
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From October: Deadly blast destroys Newcastle house
The blast tore through a row of six properties divided into two flats each.
Drone footage showed how six flats in the middle of the building appeared to have been completely destroyed by the explosion and fire, while piles of debris could be seen in the street outside.
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Superintendent Darren Adams, from Northumbria Police, said on the day of the fire: “As a result of the incident in the early hours of this morning, a seven-year-old boy has sadly passed away.
“Despite the efforts of the emergency services, he tragically died at the scene.
“This is a truly devastating outcome.”
Prince William has given an update on the Princess of Wales’s health, describing her as “amazing”.
Ahead of tonight’s Earthshot Prize awards in Cape Town, he was asked how his wife Kate was doing and replied: “She’s doing really well thanks. Hopefully she’s watching tonight and cheering me on.
“She’s been amazing this whole year and I know she’ll be really keen to see tonight be a success.”
Kate revealed in March she was having preventative chemotherapy following the discovery of pre-cancerous cells.
In September, she announced she had completed her treatment and said her focus now is on “staying cancer free”.
Throughout the year, Prince William hasn’t discussed his wife’s diagnosis, despite still continuing with his own public duties.
William and Kate at a community engagement last month. Pic: Andrew Parsons/Kensington Palace
William answered questions after taking part in rehearsals for tonight’s Earthshot Awards, the environmental prize he launched in 2021 to try to inject some optimism into the climate crisis debate.
Since he’s been in Cape Town he’s been spotted wearing a bracelet with the word ‘papa’ on it, given to him by his daughter Princess Charlotte.
He explained: “This is a relic from a Taylor Swift concert that my daughter decided that she wanted to create a bracelet for, and she gave it to me when I came away so I’ve promised her that I’d wear it and try not to lose it while I was out here.”
He also shared how he’s trying to make sure his three children feel involved in his environmental work, including doing things around the house.
The Prince of Wales in Cape Town today. Pic: PA
The prince said: “Every family tries to do what they can to help with the environment and we go through the basics of recycling and making sure we minimise water use, turning lights off when you leave the house. We’re sensible with what we do around the environment. I think every family has those conversations.
“The Earthshot is trying to be more global than that – we’re trying to do big-scale ambition and business. I’ve brought the children along on that journey and I hope they’re proud of what we are trying to do here which is to galvanise that energy and enthusiasm to make real impact.”
Read more:
William’s ‘milestone’ moment in South Africa
Kate hugs teen with rare form of cancer
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
Asked about the tough political climate for the environment right now, Prince William didn’t make any comment about the US election result and Donald Trump’s climate credentials, but said: “Everyone wants some hope and some optimism and Earthshot comes with urgent optimism.
“And as you’ll see tonight the amount of youth from Africa who will be in here – they’ll be letting you know and letting everyone know that it matters to them.
“Without them, the future is looking pretty bleak so these are the game changers, the innovators, the inventors who are going to make the world a better place for us in future.”
The annual Earthshot Prize awards five entrepreneurs, innovators, startups or conservationists with £1m each to help scale their ideas to tackle some of the world’s most pressing environmental issues.
This is the fourth year the awards have been held.
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