KIARAN ‘Psycho’ Stapleton, the man convicted of the murder of Indian student Anuj Bidve has failed in his attempt to have his life sentence reduced.
Stapleton, 21, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Bidve in Salford on December 26 last year. He was ordered to serve a minimum of 30 years before he is even eligible for parole.
Stapleton appealed against the length of his sentence, but judges at the Court of Appeal on Wednesday (November 21) dismissed his appeal and upheld the original sentence.
Detective Chief Superintendent Mary Doyle, who led the investigation, said: “At one point during his trial, Stapleton boasted that he did not care if he was locked up for 65 years because he enjoyed watching soaps in prison.”
“But when the harsh reality of what a life in prison actually means hit home, Stapleton backtracked and tried to have his sentence reduced, putting Anuj’s family get more upset.
“However, I am delighted that the panel of judges sitting at the Court of Appeal have upheld the original sentence and that Stapleton will serve at least 30 years in prison before he can even apply for parole.
“We will never lose sight of what is most important and that is Anuj’s family. They had to suffer weeks of painful hearings and now they’ve had to endure yet another hearing.
“Nothing will ever bring Anuj back, but I hope that now Stapleton has failed in his bid to have his sentence reduced it will finally bring the family some sense of closure to what has been an extremely traumatic time for them.”
Keith Vaz, Indian origin British MP and Chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee, said “I am delighted that the High Court Judges have dismissed Kiaran Stapleton’s appeal and upheld his original sentence.
“I have been in close contact with Mr and Mrs Bidve since the tragic murder of their son Anuj. The past year has been a living nightmare for them and they were dismayed at Stapleton’s decision to appeal.
“I hope this verdict will bring some closure to the Bidve family who will finally be able to get their life back together. Justice has been done,” Vaz said.
