Pair found guilty of murdering Leicester man

Two men today (Tuesday 15 March) have been found guilty of murdering a man who was found seriously injured in the boot of a car.

Renaldo Baptiste, 35 and Jeffrey Carew, 23 were both convicted following a trial at Leicester Crown Court spanning several weeks.

A third man, 26-year-old Jurrat Khan, was found guilty of manslaughter.

In the early hours of 12 April last year, patrol officers, who were attending a different incident, saw a red Vauxhall Astra being driven at speed and in an erratic manner on Brighton Road.

Having their suspicions about the occupants of the vehicle, they pursued the driver who ran off but was later identified as Khan. Following a foot chase, Khan was detained nearby and the keys to the Astra were found in the pocket of a jacket he had thrown away. When officers opened the boot, they found 47-year-old Anand Parmar unconscious inside and administered first aid to him.

Mr Parmar had suffered serious head and chest injuries and was taken to the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham. Sadly, despite the best efforts of all involved, he died later that morning.

Following his death, Khan – of Wakerley Road in Leicester but known as “Lutes” due to his connections to Luton, was further arrested and an investigation led by the East Midlands Special Operations Unit (EMSOU) Major Crime Team, began.

As enquiries progressed, it was established that Baptiste, of Marsh Close in Leicester – and known as “Chops” – and Carew, also of Marsh Close in Leicester – known as “Gunner” – had been involved.

Detectives spoke to a person known to Mr Parmar, who said they had both picked up Khan in the Astra on the night of Sunday 11 April. Mr Parmar had then parked in Andrewes Street in Leicester a short time later when the front driver’s side window was smashed with an unknown object.

The person said they were then hit on the head with a bottle by Carew before managing to run from the area on foot. Baptiste was present and appeared to be directing Carew. The Astra and another car – a silver Vauxhall Meriva which had also gone to Andrewes Street – were then driven off.

On the evening of 12 April, a grey Seat Ibiza linked to Baptiste was seen by patrol officers in the area of Narborough Road in Leicester. It initially failed to stop, but did so in Sanvey Gate a short time later. The driver – Baptiste – was arrested.

While both men were in custody, enquiries to establish the whereabouts of Carew continued. Information obtained indicated that he may have travelled to Wales and after information was shared with Gwent Police he was arrested in the early hours of Thursday 15 April.

At a previous court hearing, both Baptiste and Carew also pleaded guilty to possession of a class A drug with intent to supply, while Carew also pleaded guilty of one count of common assault, which related to the person being hit with a glass bottle.

Detective Chief Inspector Tony Yarwood, from EMSOU, was the senior investigating officer. He said: “This was a very complex investigation that required resources from both Leicestershire Police and the wider East Midlands region. Together, working as one, we were able to bring all three men to justice.

“All three men are extremely dangerous individuals and I am pleased they have been convicted of this horrific crime.

“I would like to highlight the outstanding work of uniformed colleagues, who noticed something was awry in the early hours of 12 April when they first saw the red Astra.

“Knowing they had to take action, they stopped the vehicle and – after arresting Khan – found Mr Parmar inside. Their quick thinking meant that when enquiries were passed to the Murder Investigation Team (MIT), we already had a series of events to build upon.

“I would also like to thank the prosecution counsel – James House QC, Daren Samat and CPS lawyer Hitesh Keshvala for their help, support and hard work in ensuring those responsible have been convicted.

“My deepest condolences remain with Mr Parmar’s family and while the outcome of this trial will not bring him back, I hope it provides a degree of closure.”

Baptiste, Carew and Khan will be sentenced at Leicester Crown Court on Friday 13 May.

• A fourth man, aged 35, was charged with assisting an offender but was found not guilty following the trial.