A killer couple was caught on CCTV celebrating the murder of a wealthy property developer with a passionate kiss.
Emma Bate, 26, and Parmajit Singh, 33, broke into property developer Richard Sherratt’s apartment in Bridgnorth, Shropshire, and battered him before stabbing him to death.
They then took his bank cards and cleared the 57-year-old’s account before sharing a passionate embrace.
Emma Bate and Parmajit Singh were caught on camera enjoying a passionate kiss moments after clearing Richard Sherratt’s bank account
Bates and Singh were today told to expect a life sentence by judge Simon Tonking
Emma Bate and Parmajit Singh murdered Richard Sherratt by hitting him round the head five times and stabbing him repeatedly
Bate, who was found guilty of murder after a two week trial at Stafford Crown Court, had previously been in a relationship with Mr Sherratt.
His semi-naked body was found the next day by his ex-wife who had become concerned when she could not contact him.
Property developer Richard Sherratt was found by his ex wife after she became worried when she could not contact him
A post mortem examination revealed that he had suffered 38 separate injuries including five blows to the head.
He had also been stabbed in his arm, face and neck, and died after suffocating from blood blocking his airways following the attack in June last year.
During the trial, the court heard Bate was working as a prostitute when she got into a relationship with Mr Sherratt last March and soon became ‘infatuated’ with her.
He showered her with gifts, including £8,000 in cash, nights away in upmarket hotels and described her as his girlfriend to his friends.
But after the couple split up, Bate became hooked on crack cocaine and she targeted Mr Sherratt, who she knew was well off and kept cash and expensive items at his home.
She and Singh concocted a plan to rob Mr Sherratt and the pair drove from their home in Birmingham to his flat in the middle of the night on June 13.
After attacking Mr Sherratt they stole his bank cars, cash and a watch worth £10,000, and drove back to Birmingham where they successfully withdrew hundreds of pounds from his account.
CCTV captured the moment Bate swaggered away from the cash machine in Handsworth, in Birmingham, with her arms outstretched in a ‘celebratory manner’, the court heard.
Another picture shows Bate and Singh kissing in a lift as she clings a bulging carrier bag. Both were told by Judge Simon Tonking to expect a life sentence.
He said: ‘I am bound to be sentencing both these defendants to life imprisonment.’
Detective Inspector Steve Tonks, from West Mercia Police, said: ‘The motive for this crime was clearly greed and the defendants Singh and Bate resorted to violence in seeking access to their victim’s money.
CCTV shows Bate walking away from a cash machine with her arms outstretched in a ‘celebratory manner’
‘It was a premeditated crime whereby they planned to rob Mr Sherratt and to commit fraud by withdrawing funds from his bank accounts.
They planned to travel late at night when they knew Mr Sherratt would be at home and would be asleep.
‘The court heard distressing details about the degree of violence used while Mr Sherratt was held captive and tortured in his own home last June.
‘He was subjected to a callous and brutal ordeal with the injuries sustained, sadly resulting in his death. The circumstances of this case with its tragic outcome have been harrowing.’
A third defendant, Michael Smith, 51, from Tipton, West Midlands, was cleared of robbery.
The pair will be sentenced on March 1.
