Sikh Man Jailed In Australia Despite Citing Hair-Washing Struggles In Court: 'Can't Show Mercy...'

Last Updated:July 11, 2025, 21:36 IST

The court rejected Singh's plea for home detention, citing that difficulties in practising his Sikh faith in jail were not grounds for mercy.

Singh’s legal team argued that he did not assist the victim after the crash because his turban had fallen off, which they described as being "naked in public" for a Sikh man. (Representational image)

An Indian-origin man in Australia has been sentenced to more than five years in prison for a 2023 crash that killed a woman. In its ruling on Friday, the court also rejected his plea for home detention, citing that difficulties in practising his Sikh faith in jail were not grounds for mercy.

Bhupinder Singh, 24, was sentenced on Friday to five years, two months and 21 days in prison for causing the death of Christine Sandford, a mother-of-two, in a dangerous driving incident in Windsor Gardens in March 2023. He will be eligible for parole in 2029 and has been banned from driving for 15 years.

Singh, who came to Australia from India to study, was driving his housemate’s Ford Mustang at speeds up to 161 km/h when he T-boned Sandford’s car outside a petrol station on North East Road. Sandford, who had left home for a short trip to buy cooking oil, was killed instantly. Her car was pushed 30 metres down the road from the impact.

During sentencing, Singh’s legal team argued that he did not assist the victim after the crash because his turban had fallen off, which they described as being “naked in public" for a Sikh man. They also requested home detention, citing religious hardship in prison, ABC News reported.

Singh said he has been unable to wash and dry his long hair in prison, in line with Sikh practices, and has struggled to maintain a vegetarian diet, leading to a weight loss of nine kilograms since his remand in May.

But Judge Muscat ruled that these religious challenges were not sufficient grounds for mercy. “You’ve also been unable to wash your long hair as there are no hair drying facilities available in prison and you cannot let your hair down to dry naturally because of your beliefs."

The judge said Singh made a deliberate choice to speed, which directly caused the death of an innocent person.

“Christine Sandford’s death was totally avoidable if only you had obeyed the speed limit," Judge Muscat said.

“The crazy speed at which you were driving the Ford Mustang, left you with no chance of avoiding crashing into her car," he said, adding, “There is a road safety message that is often repeated to motorists, for good reason, it reminds us all ‘speed kills’, sadly that is precisely what happened here."

Despite acknowledging Singh’s remorse, the judge described his actions as “reckless and avoidable," and rejected the plea for home detention. Singh had earlier pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving.

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