A former pharmacist who stabbed his brother to death after spending a drink and drug fuelled night together has been caged for 19 years.
Inderjit Klare repeatedly stabbed his 40-year-old sibling Jasreet with a kitchen knife and left him to bleed to death following an argument last year. The 43-year-old, who had spent the night drinking booze and taking cocaine with his brother, then waited over an hour before calling for an ambulance and got rid of the murder weapon and cleaned the scene.
Jasreet, who was known to his family and friends as 'Jas' and was a father-of-two, was attacked in the family's fish and chip restaurant in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, during the early hours of October 9 last year. He sustained several knife wounds, including one fatal gash which severed an artery in his right arm, leading to his death.
Read more: Former County Durham pharmacist found guilty of murdering his younger brother in knife attack
Klare, of Eve Lane, Spennymoor, County Durham, had been facing a trial at Teesside Crown Court accused of murder - which he denied, claiming self-defence. But on Friday afternoon, the jury returned to deliver a guilty verdict to the single charge and he was sentenced later that day.
The court heard that Klare and his brother had a "volatile" relationship and that they had both "come to blows" in the past. However, on the night of the murder, the pair had spent "many hours together" and were on "good terms", drinking and taking cocaine as they went to bars in Bishop Auckland and Houghton-le-Spring.
At one stage, the pair met with two local men and they invited them back to the family restaurant - Carter's Fish Restaurant and Takeaway - for another drink. Klare, who is known to family and friends as 'Inde', was the manager of the business at the time.
But when they returned back to the shop, an argument broke out and Klare picked up a kitchen knife and attacked his brother. The two men who had been invited back became so terrified, they fled the shop by kicking out a window. One of the men described how he watched as Klare had his brother on the ground and was trying to stab him with the knife.
Klare then stabbed his brother repeatedly with a knife and also kicked him in the head. One of the stab wounds severed an artery in his brother's right arm, ultimately leading to his death. The court heard that Jas could have survived the attack if he had been given first aid straight away.
Rather then call an ambulance immediately, Klare made an attempt to clean up the scene by using a hose pipe to clean his brother's body and the scene, before putting the murder weapon in a container and moving a CCTV recording into a cupboard.
In a statement, the partner of Jas, Emma Hallas, said his children had lost the "daddy they idolised and looked up to" and that her heart was "shattered" the day he was killed. She said: "The day he was taken away from me, a part of me was taken away. A part of my heart is now in heaven."
David Lamb KC, defending, said there was a "lack of pre-meditation" and that Klare's intention was to cause serious bodily harm rather than intentionally kill Jas. he said: "He has always accepted responsibility for causing his brother's death. We have described this as a tragedy.
"He will need to live with the consequences of his actions for the rest of his life, as will his parents. They have lost a son and will also lose this defendant for a considerable period of time. He had shown a degree of remorse for his actions during the trial."
Sentencing Klare, Judge Howard Crowson said he had "no intention in preserving the life" of his brother and highlighted his lack of remorse following the killing, adding: "During the trial I was struck by your lack of concern at the death."
Klare was jailed for life, and must serve a minimum of 19 years behind bars.
Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Superintendent Lee Gosling, from Durham Constabulary, who led the investigation, said: “This was a truly horrific attack by Inderjit on his own brother, and his actions have left his family and friends suffering the consequences for the rest of their lives.
“The last six months have been incredibly difficult for Jasreet’s family and our thoughts remain with them. We will continue to offer them any support they need. Although nothing can change what happened on that day, I hope that the family can take some comfort and begin rebuilding their lives now that Inderjit has been brought to justice for his unforgivable actions."
He added: "I would also like to thank the investigating officers whose professionalism and tenacity ensured we were able to put a strong case together which has resulted in Inderjit being convicted for the murder of his brother and spending a significant number of years behind bars.”
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