Youth Sentenced to Over 7 Years in Jail, Faces Deportation from UK for Girlfriend’s Death

An Indian-origin man was jailed in the United Kingdom for seven and a half years and faces deportation to India for reckless driving under the influence of alcohol that led to a crash and death of his girlfriend on Jan. 13.

Judge Nicholas Dean QC said to Varanjot Singh-Kandola: “In the early morning of Saturday January 13 this year you drove a vehicle in such a way that you caused the death of your then girlfriend, Tanvi Makwana. She was only 25. She had a bright future ahead of her. She’s been taken from her family, by you, in the prime of her life. I’ve read and considered a moving personal statement from her mother. The family’s loss is palpable.”

Singh-Kandola, 27, had refused to give permission for a laboratory test on a blood specimen and planned to flee to India a few days before he was interviewed by the police. The Leicestershire police found out about his plans and arrested him.

Makwana’s brother, Raj, 27, said after the sentencing that he was “happy with the result, especially as he tried to leave the country and escape responsibility. Tanvi’s loss leaves us with a hole in our lives that we cannot fully explain. She was beautiful, amazing, very caring and would do anything for anyone and her list of good qualities goes on and on.”

Singh-Kandola was reportedly drunk when he drove from Wolverhampton to Loughborough in the East Midlands and lost control of his car while driving above the 50 mph speed limit. He lost consciousness while Makwana died on the spot.

“You lost control of your vehicle. You were rendered unconscious by the collision. Tanvi lost her life. Mercifully, it seems she was killed outright before the car came to a halt,” Dean told Singh-Kandola during the sentencing. The judge added that his attempt to flee and evade justice made it harder for her family but it would not affect the sentencing.

“In my judgement you were seriously impaired by alcohol at the time you were driving… The reality may be that when you’ve served your sentence, or whilst serving it, you will be deported to India,” the judge concluded.

Paul Prior, the lawyer representing Singh-Kandola, said: “It’s accepted his speed led him to lose control and cause the death of his girlfriend, which he regrets deeply. He accepts he was going too fast for the road. He is an Indian national and came to this country in 2011 and was looked after by his aunt and uncle. He was hoping to build a life in this country which won’t happen now because he’ll be deported back to India.”