Husband jailed for life over Briton's murder

A man who murdered his British wife on Fiji was sentenced to life imprisonment today.

Raymond Singh was told he would serve at least 18 years for the killing of his wife Wendy at their home on the Pacific Ocean island on 11 May last year.

The punishment is thought to be the maximum sentence available under Fijian law and had been demanded by relatives of 39-year-old Mrs Singh, who was originally from Surrey.

She lived with her husband in Great Yarmouth and Ipswich before they moved to Fiji in 2006.

The court heard Fijian-born Singh attacked her with a knife during an argument, and he was found guilty of her murder yesterday.

Speaking after the guilty verdict was handed down and ahead of the sentencing, Mrs Singh's sister Christine Stringer said: "I just felt numb when I heard it. I was obviously very pleased, but I know that nothing will ever bring her back. All we can do now is hope and pray the maximum sentence is handed down."

Mrs Stringer, from the Isle of Wight, made an impact statement to the court describing the effect the murder had on her family.

She said: "Wendy's death made me realise what a devastating effect murder has - not just on the victim but on the whole family and friends. It's a horrific life changing experience - one we will never be able to forget."

It is understood the prosecution had demanded a minimum sentence of 17 years. The maximum possible sentence is life without parole.

Mrs Stringer paid tribute to the Lucie Blackman Trust's Missing Abroad programme which helped fly Mrs Singh's son George back to the UK where he now lives.

She said: "Without them we would never have been able to get to Fiji, to bring George home and have Wendy's body flown home to the UK.

"They also worked non-stop all hours to help us, getting evidence put through to the court in Fiji and helping arrange everything over here. I can't thank them enough. Something like this makes you realise the importance of an organisation like Missing Abroad."

The programme was set up to assist the families of people missing or murdered abroad and was inspired by the case of Ms Blackman, who was murdered in Japan on 1 July 2000.