Southgate son found guilty after 'bludgeoning' father to death with Champagne bottle

A man has been found guilty of murdering his elderly father after bludgeoning him to death with a bottle of Champagne in a drunken rage.

Deekan Singh Vig was found guilty of murdering 86-year-old shopkeeper Arjan Singh Vig at the family home in Southgate, north London, on the evening of 30 October 2021.

The Old Bailey had heard how officers found the body of Mr Vig on the floor of his son’s bedroom with his “head caved in”.

His 54-year-old son was naked and surrounded by about 100 bottles of Champagne, including blood-stained bottles of Veuve Cliquot and Bollinger.

He said: “I killed my dad. I hit him over the head with a f*****g bloody bottle of Bollinger champagne.”

Prosecutor Deanna Heer KC had said the victim had been hit repeatedly in the face and head with a full bottle of Champagne causing extensive injuries and almost immediate death.

Jurors heard how Vig had lived with his father and mother Damanjit Vig, 85, in their four-bedroom detached home for about 40 years, while his younger sister Rippan Vig lived with her partner.

The family had moved from Uganda to the UK when Vig was aged five at the time Idi Amin expelled members of the Asian community from the east African country.

His father was a qualified accountant while his mother, a zoologist, worked as a teacher.

His sister had forged a career as a successful lawyer and married while Vig did not have girlfriends and helped his father in the family business.

Jurors heard he had developed a taste for alcohol during the lockdown.

On the evening of the killing, Vig’s parents had returned home and settled down in front of the television.

Mrs Vig heard vomiting noises from her son’s room and he told her he had consumed half a bottle of whisky, jurors heard.

The last thing she saw was her husband comforting their son, the court was told.

She called her daughter because Vig appeared “out of control” and “drunk” and she in turn dialled 999.

An officer tried to push open the defendant’s door and looking through a gap, saw Mr Vig’s head covered in blood.

The defendant said he could not open the door, saying: “You’re too late. He’s been dead for an hour.”

Once officers gained entry, they saw Mr Vig’s head had been “severely caved in” and it was obvious he was dead.

The defendant, who was naked with blood on his hands, feet and legs, was Tasered and detained in handcuffs after becoming verbally abusive and aggressive.

Later, he wept as he said: “My Dad is dead. I killed my Dad. I hit him over the head with a f***ing bloody bottle of Bollinger champagne. Why did I kill my Dad?”

He added: “Oh shit. I killed my dad. He could have just died from a heart attack. I f***ing hit him with a bottle of f***ing Champagne…I hate French Champagne.”

The defendant also admitted to drinking 500mls of whisky earlier that evening.

At the crime scene, police uncovered 100 bottles of Champagne, 10 Amazon delivery boxes of whisky bottles, and an empty bottle of Talisker Scotch on the bed.

Beside Mr Vig’s body were two bottles of Champagne – one Veuve Cliquot and the other Bollinger – with a “significant amount” of blood on them.

A post-mortem examination identified injuries “entirely consistent with an assault with a full Champagne bottle”, Ms Heer said.

Vig had denied murder but admitted manslaughter on the second day of his trial on the basis that he did not intend to cause his father really serious harm.

Giving evidence, he went on to claim he had autism and that his father had attacked him.

A jury deliberated for less than a day to find him guilty of murder on Friday.

Judge Angela Rafferty adjourned sentencing until 10 February and remanded Vig into custody.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know…