LONDON – A 70-year-old British grandmother is facing life imprisonment after being convicted today of the “honour killing” of her son’s wife who she murdered after luring her to India.

Bachan Athwal, 70, who has 16 grandchildren, is believed to be one of the oldest women ever to be convicted of murder in England. Her son was also found guilty of murder.

They will be sentenced on Sept. 19.

The two killed Sikh Heathrow Airport worker Surjit Kaur Athwal, who disappeared in December 1998 after she decided to walk out of her arranged marriage.

Bachan Athwal, a mother-of six, was furious about her daughter-in-law’s plans to leave, which she believed would bring disgrace on the family, London’s Old Bailey court heard.

The pensioner was said to have told one family member that any divorce proceedings “would happen over my dead body”.

The Customs officer was lured to India by her mother-in-law, and her minibus driver husband Sukhdave Singh Athwal, 43, on the pretext of attending family weddings but was instead strangled.

The alarm was raised after the 27-year-old victim failed to return to her home in Hayes, west London. Her body, believed to be somewhere in the Punjab area in India, has never been found.

The verdict is the second involving honour killings in Britain this month. Iraqi Kurd Mahmod Mahmod was jailed for life last week for murdering his daughter after discovering she was having an affair.

“This case highlights how seriously we treat any murder or violence, regardless of the motive, whether it be for financial gain or in the name of so called honour,” said Detective Chief Inspector Clive Driscoll of London’s Specialist Crime Directorate after Thursday’s verdict.

“It is the culmination of over eight years’ work by the Metropolitan Police, and the determination of Surjit’s family, to see the perpetrators brought to justice,” he said.

During the three month trial, the court heard that Surjit’s 10-year arranged marriage — which she entered when she was just 16 — was on the rocks and she was desperate to leave it.

She had asked for a divorce and was having an affair with a colleague. Athwal and her son were so aggrieved they plotted to “get rid of her”, the jury was told.

“She was a vivacious young girl, was Surjit … and she had developed a somewhat Westernised-style of life,” prosecutor Michael Worsley said. She cut her hair short, smoked cigarettes and drank alcohol.

“They were Sikhs, and for the girl to have an affair was obviously something dreadful. Eventually feelings against her boiled over.”

New York, NY 10019 July 23 2007

Today is Private Eye Day.

As the author of an infidelity book packed with hundreds of telltale signs of infidelity that suspicious spouses and significant others can find on their own, infidelity expert Ruth Houston rarely recommends using a private eye to catch a cheating mate.

Houston’s book, Is He Cheating on You? – 829 Telltale Signs documents practically every known sign of infidelity, including the subtle signs most people usually overlook And they can all be found using nothing more than your own eyes and ears, your personal knowledge of their mate, and the information in her book.

However, Houston, concedes certain circumstances warrant a suspicious mate hiring a private investigator despite the facts that there are many telltale signs they can easily discover for themselves.

Houston, founder of www.InfidelityAdvice.com says, “Some individuals should never attempt to find proof of infidelity on their own. Certain character traits or personal idiosyncrasies will cause people to view even the most innocent behavior as a sign of infidelity. So rather than jumping to conclusions or falsely accusing a spouse or significant other of cheating, it may be best to employ the services of a private eye.�

According to statistics, 85% of women who had a “gut feeling� that their husbands were cheating, turned out to be right. However, Houston cautions, “Intuition can be a very powerful indicator of infidelity, be sure you know the difference between intuition and insecurity. Your suspicious may be totally without merit. Falsely accusing your mate of infidelity can be just as damaging to your relationship as infidelity itself. So be sure you’re on solid ground.�

Houston says your suspicions may turn out to be groundless if you:

• You are suspicious by nature.
• You have a natural distrust of the opposite sex.
• You have issues with jealousy.
• You are emotionally insecure.
• You suffer from low-self esteem.
• You are paranoid.
• You have an overly active imagination.

“If any of the seven statements above apply to you, then you should probably hire a detective to check out your mate. It will be impossible for you to remain objective or open-minded about whatever you find.� says Houston. “You should also hire a licensed private eye if you require court admissible proof. A professional can conduct a fair and impartial investigation, and provide you with the documented proof you need.�

Private investigators are not cheap. Expect to spend several hundred dollars depending on the service you require. Hourly fees start at around $75 and can go as high as $200 or more per hour. Most require a retainer up front equivalent to a minimum of several hours work.

If you’re reluctant to spend that kind of money, then your best bet is to get a copy of Houston’s book, Is He Cheating on You? – 829 Telltale Signs because it lists practically every known sign of infidelity. Why pay someone to find out something you can easily discover yourself? The signs are conveniently grouped into 21 major categories so you can easily find the signs that apply to your mate. Despite the title, most of the signs in the book apply to cheating women, as well as cheating men.

Even if you decide to hire a private eye, Houston still recommends that you first do a little digging on your own. The more basic information you can provide the investigator with, the more quickly and efficiently he or she can work, and the lower your final cost will be. Look for a licensed investigator who specializes in infidelity, spousal, matrimonial, or domestic investigations, as they’re sometimes called.

For more information about infidelity, cheating mates, signs of infidelity and extramarital affairs, visit www.InfidelityAdvice.com

About Ruth Houston:

New York-based infidelity expert Ruth Houston is the founder of InfidelityAdvice.com and the author of Is He Cheating on You – 829 Telltale Signs. Frequently called on by the media to comment on infidelity issues in the news, Ruth Houston been quoted in USA Today, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, the New York Post, Cosmopolitan, Chatelaine, iVillage, MSN Lifestyle, Reuters, UPI, AP, ABC News.com and numerous other print and online media. She has been a guest on The Today Show, Good Day New York, CNN, 1010WINS, Fox News, NBC News, ABC News, BBC, CBC and over 320 radio and TV talk shows worldwide.

To interview infidelity expert Ruth Houston, call 718 592-6039 or e-mail InfidelityExpert @ gmail.com

Ruth Houston (infidelityexpert@gmail.com)
Infidelity Expert and Author
Lifestyle Publications
P.O. Box 730797
Elmhurst, NY 11373
Phone : 718 592-6039

www.InfidelityAdvice.com

Having an extra marital affair?
8 Jul 2007

Astrologer Harsh Khiraiya believes that your horoscope can reveal your tendencies towards extra marital affairs.

The disposable era has arrived. Today everything is quick, fun and disposable – right from eye lenses to relationships. Being monogamous is passe. Having an affair after marriage is trendy! Does the horoscope show or indicate extra marital affairs or flirtatious propensities? Well, it certainly does and it also reveals the reasons for the affair.

Anatomy of an extra martial affair:

An extra marital affair generally takes place due to the following reasons:

Unsatisfied sexual needs incompatibility of personalities.

Lack of intimacy.

Boredom.

Peer pressure (all my friends are having affairs so why shouldn’t I?).

Results show that:

Women tend to be guilty about such relationships while men don’t care.

80 per cent of women flirt because their husbands treat them like dirt while 90 per cent of men just want to have variety in sex.

Women also tend to get emotionally attached to the other partner knowing that they will not divorce their current husbands.

Astrological analysis of an extra marital affair:

So why do people get into extra marital affairs? Do the stars have an answer? Yes they do! From the astrological point of view, the following planets and houses deserve special attention:

Venus:

The planet of love and lust. The primary driver for exotic relationships is Venus. If you have a Venus with Mars or a hyper active Venus you are sure to flirt! However, a Venus with Uranus can make you a sex maniac or a pervert who has affairs to satisfy his or her sexual obsessions.

Jupiter (Guru):

The planet of goodness and religion. It is only when you have a weak jupiter would you think of an extra marital affair. Your conscience does not bite you and you feel you have done nothing wrong. A strong Guru will prevent flirtations.

The 5th house:

The 5th house stands for love, romance, scandals and is the primary indicator of affairs. The classical combinations for such relations are – Venus-Rahu in the 5th or Mars-Venus in the 5th house.

The 7th house:

The 7th house stands for marriage. A strong 7th house means that you will never have affairs because you are devoted to your husband.

The 8th house:

The 8th house indicates sexual attitudes, orgasm, masturbation etc. The 8th house indicates whether the affair will be physical or not.

Predicting extra marital affairs:

Is it possible to predict when you will have an affair or when your current affair will break off ? Absolutely! With the proper charts, the following can be easily and fairly accurately predicted: When are you most likely to have an affair? Will there be multiple affairs or just one? Are the affairs due to lust or emotional dependancies? Will you find a cheat or a good lover?

Conclusion:

So the next time you doubt that your spouse is having an affair, instead of going to the detective agency, just get his or her horoscope checked!

EXCLUSIVE CHRIS, 18, SAYS WEDDING IS NIGHTMARE
By Jon Kirk

TEENAGER Christopher Wrigley is dreading his stepbrother Jason’s wedding – because the bride is his MUM.

Devastated Christopher, 18, says he is “sickened” at the thought of Jason becoming his DAD when he ties the knot with his 40-year-old mother Kim.

And he reveals the pair wrecked his life the day they became secret lovers.

Christopher, who will boycott the wedding in September, told The People: “I just can’t bring myself to call Jason my father.

“It makes me sick to the bone just thinking about it.

“When we were growing up, I never imagined in my worst nightmares that such a situation could happen.

“It has totally ruined my life.” Shockingly, Christopher only found out about the wedding plans by chance.

He had been living with his dad Fred after his mum set up home with Jason, 39. But he missed her so much he made a surprise visit.

Christopher said: “After weeks of not seeing mum, I missed her so much and decided to go around to their place and see her.

“When I was there, I saw a pile of wedding magazines on the dining room table.

“I realised straight away what was going on and I pleaded with them not to go through with it.

“They were obviously trying to get it all arranged without telling dad or me.

“I was so upset. My mum walks off with her stepson, and then doesn’t even invite me to their wedding. How coldhearted can two people be?”

Dad Fred, 60, discovered his wife’s affair with Jason – his son by a previous marriage – four years ago.

Fred, who had been married to Kim for 17 years, says he suspected her of cheating on him – but never with his own flesh and blood.

But when Fred went round to see Jason at his house in Oldham, Lancashire, he caught his eldest son and Kim red-handed in the bedroom.

Fred said he stormed upstairs and saw Kim’s underwear lying on the floor.

“I felt physically sick,” said Fred. “I wanted to know what the hell was going on.

“But Jason had left the room. He must have thought I was going to tear him apart.

“Kim just broke down in floods of tears. She confessed that she had slept with Jason, but insisted it had only happened twice.

“I felt like all our years together had all been a lie. It was heartbreaking.” Within weeks Fred filed for divorce and refused to speak to his two-faced son Jason ever again.

At the same time Christopher, then 14, struggled with his own emotions.

He recalled: “It was the most horrible thing that could ever happen to anyone.

“One minute I was a happy teenager with my big brother for company, and the next I’d lost everything that was dear to me.

“Mum’s family were behind her 100 per cent, but inwardly I believe they were very embarrassed.

“They stopped having anything more to do with us, because we reminded them of what their daughter had done. So I lost everything.”

Christopher, now a warehouse worker, added: “What staggers me is that Jason and me were so close.

“It was like a pact when we were younger. He always looked out for me and I always did what I could for him, despite being his younger brother. But all that was torn up the minute he went with my mum.”

Kim and Jason, who works for a firm making security shutters, now live only a stone’s throw from Christopher in Oldham.

“It’s like they’re rubbing my nose in it,” he said. “I sometimes see them walking round town hand-in-hand. It’s just disgusting.”

Worse still, he says, the pair are tying the knot in September at a church just yards from where he grew up.

Dad Fred, who adopted Kim’s son Nicky, now 22, said: “By getting hitched Kim and Jason are casting the final nail into Christopher’s coffin.

“It will leave him devastated and I’m not sure he’ll ever be able to get over it.”

He says telling Christopher about Kim’s affair was the hardest thing he had ever had to do.

Fred said: “Chris was horrified to hear his mum was having an affair with Jason. He couldn’t believe his big brother could be so heartless.”

Christopher’s life spiralled into depression. The teenager said news of the so-called “incest family” spread around his community. Christopher added: “I remember going into school and people just stopping and staring at me. I was the freak kid whose mum was having it off with his brother.

“I got the odd comment here and there, but the most hurtful thing was that people didn’t ask me about it. It was like I was a leper with some sort of disease that no one else wanted to catch.”

Fred has since divorced Kim and is now happily married to new wife Shelly, 35, who helps run his pet shop.

Both he and Christopher say they will ever speak to Kim or Jason again.

Christopher said: “They don’t want to admit they’ve done anything wrong. I’ll be heartbroken not to see my mum again, but there’s nothing else I can do.” Yesterday, Kim and Jason were unavailable for comment.

Previously when asked about the love triangle, Kim told The People:

“I just fell in love with Jason. Me and Fred had our good times but they were few and far between.

“What Fred says is true, the only thing that was a lie is that he said our marriage was happy.

“I’d wanted to leave him for years. If I was happy I would never have strayed in the first place. I have hurt my kids and I am paying for it.”

Jason added: “Kim wanted to leave Dad anyway. We just want to get on with our lives.” features@people.co.uk