A man who drunkenly beat his own father to death with a bottle of expensive champagne has been jailed for 18 years.
Deekan Vig, 54, who lived with his parents, had consumed large amounts of whiskey at the family home in north London when a row broke out with his father Arjan Singh Vig, 86.
Arjan, who disliked alcohol for religious reasons, confronted Deekan in his bedroom after finding his secret stash of around 100 bottles of champagne.
The Old Bailey heard Deekan then launched a ‘savage and merciless’ attack on his father, who was found dead with his head so forcefully smashed that the door was covered in blood and brain matter.
Deekan, who was found naked on the floor and had to be tasered during his arrest, told officers on the way to the police station: ‘I killed my Dad.
‘I hit him over the head with a f***ing bloody bottle of Bollinger champagne.
‘Why did I kill my Dad? I hit him on the head. I f***ng hit him with a bottle of f-king champagne. F-king champagne… I hate French champagne.’
In court, Deekan, who suffers from severe anxiety and had symptoms of autism, claimed his father had attacked him after grabbing one of the bottles and waving it in his face.
He said the pair started ‘wrestling’ after he wrenched the bottle out of his hand and he eventually started throwing bottles at his father after he ‘kept coming towards me’.
The 54-year-old told jurors: ‘After several throws it just went all quiet and on the last throw I saw this huge amount of blood just splatter everywhere, like an explosion.
‘His head was on the back wall and blood came out, it was just horrific and he suddenly went silent, dead quiet.’
But the jury rejected his defence after evidence relating to Arjan’s injuries showed the ‘ferocity’ of his attacks.
Judge Angela Rafferty said: ‘You did not accept in the trial that you clubbed your father to death with a heavy bottle, but you did.
‘I’m sure that at the time you hit your father you intended to kill him. This was in a moment of rage probably because he found you in a drunken state.
‘Those injuries show a ferocity. It was savage and it was merciless. Your father would have been very frightened and it is him the court must consider first and foremost.’
Deekan’s sister said the rest of the family, including her mother, said they still supported him, pleading for a lighter sentence as they believe he had ‘no ill will’ toward his father and only attacked him because his ‘anxieties came to a head’.
She told the court: ‘I believe there is an opportunity even now to help Deekan. In my view the person most impacted by my father’s death is my brother.
‘I feel sure my father would not want him to be punished. To minimise the impact this will have on all of us I ask for clemency and leniency for Deekan.
‘Since the trial I’ve been able to speak with my brother and I can honestly say no one is sorrier for what happened. He’s severely traumatised.’
She added that her mother regrets following Indian traditions set by her husband and not seeking help for Deekan.
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