Terrified children witnessed dad attack sister-in-law in Leicester shop

A father-of-three who attacked his sister-in-law in front of his terrified children has been jailed.

Resham Singh (37) was holding his three-year-old son when he grabbed the victim's face and dragged her to the floor, in the family-run shop in Park Rise, Western Park, Leicester.

The "sustained and vicious attack" was captured on CCTV.

Singh's two other children pulled the three-year-old to safety. All were "crying and screaming".

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A customer called the police after trying to pull Singh away as he repeatedly struck the 36-year-old woman, who was lying defenceless on the floor.

She suffered cuts and bruises.

Siward James-Moore, prosecuting, said there was bad blood between the defendant and his sister-in-law and Singh had previously assaulted her.

On this occasion, they fell out because the defendant had collected his own children from school but failed to bring her children home, as expected.

Both families were living in flats above the store.

Singh, who has since moved to Watson Road, Northfields, Leicester, admitted causing actual bodily harm on May 25.

He was jailed for 10 months and made the subject of an 18-month restraining order, banning contact with the victim.

High court judge, Mr Justice Flaux said: "It was a sustained and vicious attack.

"While holding your three-year-old, you grabbed her face from behind and pulled her backwards on to the floor and dropped the child while you attacked her. You punched her several times.

"The fact it took place in front of your own children is wholly unforgivable.

"Last year, you pulled her hair and punched her and were given a community order with 100 hours of unpaid work, and were subject to that order when you committed this offence."

Simon Eckersley, mitigating, said: "It was spontaneous and lasted 26 seconds.

"The defendant and his brother married sisters and they bought a shop together."

He said Singh lost his temper and "snapped" because the complainant locked him out of his family's upstairs flat, after he collected his own children, and not hers, from school.

Mr Eckersley said: "He lost his home and business. Without the family dynamic, he's a perfectly respectful man."