Woman Accused Of Mother-In-Law Murder

A juror fainted as he was shown images of a woman allegedly bludgeoned to death by her daughter-in-law.

The male slumped back in his chair as images showing the fractured skull of Baljit Kaur Buttar, 56, were shown at Winchester Crown Court.

The prosecution claims that Rajvinder Kaur, 36, used a rolling pin to inflict more than 20 major injuries to her relative, including the fractured skull and brain damage. She denies murder.

The judge, Keith Cutler, adjourned the case early for lunch as the man was given first aid. He recovered and continued to sit as the case against Kaur was outlined.

Bill Mousley QC, prosecuting, told the court that Mrs Buttar had been attacked in the bathroom of the Southampton flat she was staying in with Kaur and her son Iqbal Singh, 31, who is Kaur's husband.

He said that Kaur was alone in the property with Mrs Buttar and two young children as Mr Singh was at work, and no-one entered the flat.

Kaur phoned Mr Singh on the morning of February 25 this year to tell him to come home to the flat in Broadlands Road because something had happened to his mother.

She did not tell her husband to call an ambulance, but he still did, Mr Mousley said. Later, a paramedic named John Pike arrived.

He was confronted with the sight of Mrs Buttar, known as BB, naked and dead in the bath, and Kaur washing her body with a shower head.

He and Mr Singh lifted her out and into the kitchen while Kaur watched.

Mr Mousley said the defendant had said she (Mrs Buttar) had slipped in the bath.

''She added, she had heard a bang and had gone into the bathroom. She thought her mother-in-law had fallen in the bath,'' the barrister said.

But the jury was told there was blood all over the bathroom, and the prosecution alleges that Kaur had used a mop to try and clean up before putting her clothes in the washing machine.

Mrs Buttar's blood was found on the machine's handle and rubber seal and blood was found on a t-shirt Kaur said she had worn. The rolling pin - still with blood on it - was found in the kitchen sink.

The court heard that when she was arrested, Kaur said she did not kill her mother-in-law and insisted their relationship ''was fine''.

Mrs Buttar, who came from India, had been staying since August and was due to leave to go home two days after she died.

''BB was murdered in the bathroom. No-one from outside had entered or left the flat. She (Kaur) made no attempt to call for an ambulance after discovering her mother-in-law seriously injured,'' Mr Mousley told the jury.

''The defendant has no explanation for the murder of her mother-in-law by anyone else. She had excluded her husband and the children from being responsible. The conclusion is, she is the murderer.''

The case was adjourned and is expected to last three weeks.