Scratchcard Jackpot Winner Jailed For Attacking Wife

Luck Runs Out: Malhotra

A lottery scratchcard jackpot winner, who received a £70,000 prize alongside his wife, was caged for six months yesterday for battering and throttling her.

Balvinder Malhotra, 30, punched 28 year-old Hardeep Kaur in the face three times before grabbing her throat at their west London home.

A few months earlier he had been photographed with the mum-of-one popping a bottle of champagne, proclaiming: “Looks like 2016 is going to be a great year for our little family.”

The off-licence worker, who now lives with his parents in Bedfont Close, Feltham, denied, but was convicted of assaulting Hardeep, causing her actual bodily harm, on June 6.

He was also convicted of assaulting a five year-old boy - who cannot be identified for legal reasons - during the violent row at the couple’s home in Harlech Gardens, Hounslow.

District Judge Debbie Wright said: “It’s a significant ABH with significant injury. You can see the injuries to her when she was trying to get him off her when he was trying to strangle her.

“This crosses the custody threshold by a mile.”

Uxbridge Magistrates Court was shown photos of Hardeep’s marked and swollen face as well as scratches to her neck.

“This was a very serious incident and you were clearly under the influence of alcohol. You have a very significant drink problem,” the judge told Malhotra.

“You assaulted your wife in the most dreadful way. It was a sustained attack.

Champagne Celebration: With Wife Hardeep

“You punched her and strangled her and she had to injure you to get away.”

The defendant received several scratch marks on his arms as his wife tried to prevent him throttling her.

“It was a dreadful incident for her to endure and the boy to witness and the psychological harm to him will be high and he was vulnerable.”

Prosecutor Miss Sally Peters told the court: “The police were called by Hardeep, who said she had been punched by her husband.

“When the police arrived the complainant’s aunt and uncle were on the scene trying to persuade her not to talk to the officers and sort it out themselves.”

“Hardeep said they were out for a picnic earlier in the day and during the journey home they argued in the car.

“When they got home the defendant forced his way into the bedroom, where his wife was, had grabbed her mobile phone. 

“He punched her in the face three times, causing her nose to bleed.

“In the kitchen he put his hands around her neck and that only stops when the child intervenes.

Flash: Malhotra's Merc 

“Mr. Malhotra then struck the five year-old to the side of the face, which left no mark.

“Hardeep had some scratches on her neck and he had scratches on his hands.

“The five year-old was not injured.”

The court heard Malhotra has convictions for fraud and was cautioned by police in 2013 after admitting giving his mother a bloody nose.

Malhotra’s lawyer Mr. Adrian Lee said: “This is his first conviction for assault.

“He has Type Two diabetes, high cholesterol and asthma and keeping his drinking under control is a necessity because the condition stems from his condition.

“He is a frequent drinker of three to four cans of lager a day, plus bottles of wine. This offence stems from his alcohol abuse.

“He expresses remorse, embarrassment and shame and has not seen his wife for six months.

“He will not have a relationship with his family if he doesn’t get his drinking under control.

“He says this is completely out of character when he is not touching alcohol and he want to prove he can rehabilitate.”

The court heard Malhotra has £87,000 in the bank and earmarked his lottery win for a new business venture, bouncing back from bankruptcy in 2011.

He drives a 3-litre BMW with a personalised number plated.

Malhotra was also ordered to pay £1,000 compensation to each of the two victims, plus £650 costs and a £115 victim surcharge.

Judge Wright told a clearly shocked Malhotra: “You’ve clearly got the means to pay.

“He’s got a considerable amount in the bank hasn’t he? He had a lottery win.”