Kevin Dent KC provides expert commentary on the Court of Appeal case of R v Athwal & Ors [2009] EWCA Crim 789, in the Netflix Documentary When Missing Turns to Murder
Kevin Dent KC, features in Season 2, Episode 6, in relation to the Honour Killing of Surjit Athwal.
Surjit’s murder was factually and legally complicated and marked the first conviction, in a British court, of an honour killing committed outside of the UK. Surjit’s body was never recovered from India, circumstantial evidence in the case was crucial.
You can watch the full programme on Netflix [Netflix is a paid-for streaming service].
Kevin is a highly persuasive advocate with a calm, measured, yet robust courtroom manner. Since taking silk in 2019, Kevin has built upon his heavyweight practice in the fields of financial and serious crime. Kevin is ranked in the Legal 500 in Fraud: Crime.
Surjit Kaur Athwal was tragically murdered in an honour killing in India. She was 27 years old at the time of her death. Her murder was orchestrated by her mother-in-law, 70-year-old Bachan Kaur Athwal and her husband, Sukhdave Singh Athwal. Surjit had found a new partner and started divorce proceedings against her abusive husband. The Athwal’s believed divorce would bring shame onto the Athwals. Bachan Kaur lured Surjit to India, leading her to believe that if she attended two weddings in Punjab, the family would consent to a divorce. Instead, she was killed there and her body has never been found.
Her sister, Sarbjit, who was instrumental in assisting the Police and the CPS in bringing the case, has since set up a charity, True Honour, to support all victims of Honour Based Violence, Forced Marriage, and Female Genital Mutilation.
