Life for carving knife murderer

A MAN who slit his girlfriend's throat with a carving knife was jailed for life yesterday amid frantic scenes in a courtroom.

Relatives of murder victim Denise Maudlin claim Gurmail Singh Bal may serve as little as five years of his sentence because he faces deportation to India.

Bal, 31, who came to England in 1985, attacked Ms Maudlin, 33, at her home in Benwell, Newcastle upon Tyne. On the second day of his trial at Newcastle Crown Court, Bal, also of Benwell, admitted murder.

It emerged he had previously been jailed for stabbing his former mother-in-law and sister-in-law during a divorce row.

Judge Angus Stroyan said Bal's presence in this country would be to the detriment of UK citizens.