Student jailed for 28 years for brutal West London murder

Deepak Sandhu, 24, has been sentenced to 28 years in prison for the murder of Xiaoqing Ke, a mother of two, in a flat in West London on December 9. The court heard the killing followed a period of emotional manipulation and theft by Sandhu.

Planning and Manipulation Detailed

Prosecutor Caroline Carberry KC told the Old Bailey that Sandhu, who had studied at Southampton Solent University, had bought knives days before travelling to London. The court heard the murder was the culmination of a campaign of emotional manipulation, during which Sandhu stole money from Ms Ke, exerted financial control, and took her mobile phone and passport. Ms Carberry stated that Ms Ke had wanted nothing further to do with Sandhu, which was a significant motivating factor in the murder. The prosecution indicated that Ms Ke sustained more injuries than were necessary to cause death.

Sandhu, an Indian national, attempted to flee the country after the murder, removing phones from the flat and destroying his SIM card. He purchased a plane ticket to Mumbai but was apprehended on a coach travelling towards Birmingham Airport.

Victim and Family Impact

Xiaoqing Ke was a Chinese national and a mother of two teenage children. Her parents and family maintained close contact with the police during the trial and watched her cremation via video link. Her ashes are to be returned to her family.

Official Statements

Shikha Varma of the Crown Prosecution Service said they are committed to robustly prosecuting perpetrators of violence against women and girls. Detective Chief Inspector Wayne Jolley of the Metropolitan Police stated that their team uncovered evidence showing Sandhu had become fixated on Ms Ke and subjected her to controlling and abusive messages. He added that tackling violence against women and girls remains a key priority.