Milton Keynes man found guilty of stabbing his wife to death at home

A man who stabbed his wife 18 times in the living room of their Milton Keynes home has been found guilty of murder.

Anil Gill, 47 of Beresford Close, was convicted at Luton Crown Court this morning of the killing of his wife, 43-year-old Ranjit Gill, following a three-week trial.

Gill, who police described as "controlling", carried out the killing on January 31. He wrapped her body in a duvet and bin liners and dragged her into the garage, then reported the killing the next day.

The trial heard that there was a history of domestic abuse, with Gill regularly shouting at his wife or hitting her. Once, he had hit her across her back with a plank. On another occasion he was said to have threatened his wife with a Japanese sword and held a knife to her neck.

Around 1am, a woman neighbour had gone to bed when she had heard the sound of a woman screaming followed by a “thumping or pounding sound".Charles Ward-Jackson, prosecuting, said: “It’s very likely she heard the sound of Ranjit being stabbed to death.”

Detective inspector Nicola Douglas of Thames Valley Police’s Major Crime Unit, said: “Anil Gill brutally murdered his wife in their family home, stabbing her at least 18 times. He then spent several hours cleaning up the scene, wrapping Ranjit’s body in bin bags and moving her to the garage, before showering and going to bed.

“He called the police later that morning to say what he had done, immediately making excuses and blaming Ranjit for his appalling actions.

“Throughout the trial Anil Gill claimed he was not guilty of murder, but admitted to manslaughter, accepting he had unlawfully killed Ranjit. He denied he had intended to cause her serious harm and also put forward the partial defence of loss of control because of things he said Ranjit had said and done to him.

“This has never been accepted by the prosecution or Ranjit’s family and has not been accepted by the jury.

“It is clear Anil Gill knew exactly what he was doing when he repeatedly stabbed Ranjit to death. He was a controlling husband who had physically and mentally abused Ranjit during their marriage."

Gill will be sentenced on Monday.