A 27-year-old Indian-origin man in the UK was today jailed for 17 years for a pre-meditated savage axe attack on a Sikh religious leader inside a Gurdwara.
Harjit Singh Toor was found guilty of attempted murder on Uday Singh after a six-day trial at Birmingham Crown Court.
The court heard that Toor in August last year entered the Gurdwara where about 300 worshippers had gathered for morning prayers and walked down the aisle towards Uday Singh and removed his shawl, and swung at the 56-year-old victim, hitting him on the head and wrist with an axe.
Toor was sentenced to a 17-year prison term after the jury unanimously convicted him of attempted murder, the Leicester Mercury reported.
"The attack was pre-meditated and you had armed yourself with a weapon," Justice Wilkie said while sentencing Toor.
"Fortunately the intervention of others prevented you from inflicting serious long-term harm on Uday Singh," Justice Wilkie added.
Detective Inspector Martin Smalley, who led the Leicestershire Police investigation, said after the hearing: "This incident was witnessed by a large congregation taking part in their early morning prayers."
Toor admitted to have launched the attack on Singh but denied the attempted murder charge.
He had, during the trial, accused Singh of sexually abusing him, when he was aged eight, in India about 20 years ago and contended that the attack was a revenge act. Singh denied the Toor's charges.
"This was a vicious assassination attempt on a defenceless man during a religious ceremony in front of a full congregation," senior district crown prosecutor Lawrence English said.
"To plan and execute an attack like this in a place of worship is simply abhorrent," he added.
The jury deliberated for three-and-a half hours before returning the verdict.
