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A jealous woman poisoned her former lover and his new younger girlfriend by sprinkling poison in their curry, the Old Bailey heard this afternoon.
The couple had been due to marry on St Valentine's Day until Lakhvir Singh exacted her revenge, the jury was told. She used the lethal poison aconite to murder Lakhvinder Cheema, nicknamed "Lucky", who died within an hour of being admitted to hospital.
His girlfriend Gurjeet Choough also ate the curry, but only a smaller portion, and she was lucky to survive, the court heard.
When police raided Singh's home in Southall they found aconite in her coat pocket and her handbag. Aconite has been "an ancient choice for poisoners" but it is rarely ever used today, the court heard.
Singh, 40, was married but was having a long-term affair with 39-year-old Mr Cheema, said Edward Brown QC, prosecuting. But he met and became engaged to Miss Choough, 22, in November 2008 and set a wedding date for February.
"But their future happiness was cut short in a most terrible and cruel way. It was their very happiness and their intended future together that brought about the devastation that came to bear upon them at the hands of Singh," said Mr Brown.
"With perhaps jealousy, anger and revenge all playing their part, she decided to poison them both using an extremely toxic and deadly poison - possibly brought especially from India. In less than an hour he lost effective control of his arms and legs, his sight went, his heart went into disrhythm and his blood pressure dropped," Mr Brown continued.
"Miss Choough suffered the same symptoms but they were less virulent. She was in intensive care but thankfully she pulled through."
Singh has pleaded not guilty to murder and attempted murder in January 2009 and also denies administering poison with intent to endanger Mr Cheema's life in December 2008.
The trial continues.
