A pensioner who beat his wife to death has been jailed for at least 15 years.

Tarsame Singh, 79, was sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court today (Wednesday November 1) after he admitted murdering his wife, Maya Devi, at their home in Elm Park.

Det Ch Insp Mark Rogers, who led the investigation, called it "a tragic case".

On May 2, Singh walked into Romford police station and told the front desk that he had just killed his wife.

Officers immediately attended the house in Cowdray Way and found 77-year-old Maya, a former postmistress, unresponsive on the living room floor. A wooden rounders bat was found nearby, police said.

Maya was pronounced dead at the scene and a post-mortem examination found the cause of death to be blunt force head injuries.

Singh was charged the next day and remanded into custody.

He has now been jailed for life to serve a minimum of 15 years.

Det Ch Insp Rogers said: “This is a tragic case and one which has left the couple’s three children utterly distraught.

“No-one should ever lose their mother in this way and we will continue to think of, and support them, at this difficult time.

“Singh has never admitted what caused him to act in such a violent way that evening.”