A former Westgate man has been sentenced for strangling his daughter to death and attempting to murder his ex-wife.
On the morning of Tuesday 18 July 2017, Richard Kray, lately of Herne Bay, collected his 19-year-old daughter Olivia from her home in the town so she could stay with him at his caravan in Westlands Caravan Park.
During the course of her stay he had a number of telephone arguments with his ex-wife Damyantee Cowan, which resulted in him entering her house without permission on Friday 21 July and waiting for her to come home.
When she returned and asked him where their daughter was, he grabbed her around the neck and started to strangle her.
He then attempted to smother her with a cushion but she managed to escape the house before running to Herne Bay Police Station to get help.
Kray followed her in a short while later, where he admitted he had earlier strangled Olivia to death and that her body was still in his caravan.
Officers from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate launched an investigation that resulted in Kray pleading guilty to the manslaughter of his daughter by way of diminished responsibility, and to the attempted murder of Ms Cowan.
He was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment when he appeared at Maidstone Crown Court on Monday 5 February 2018. The imprisonment is a hybrid order, in which Kray will start his sentence in hospital and when deemed fit enough, will be transferred to prison for the remainder of the time.
Senior investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Ivan Beasley said: “This is a deeply sad case, where a man, failing to see a way of managing ongoing issues with mental health, has instead chosen to kill his own daughter and tried to kill another. It is a wretched decision, which will stay with Richard Kray for the rest of his life.
“My thoughts are with the family and I thank them for their support through this case.”
Family tribute to Olivia Kray:
“Olivia was a bright and beautiful young lady. Six months ago she was taken unnecessarily from her family and we miss her every day. Olivia was caring towards others and when you needed her help she would do the best she could for you. Olivia was a wonderful daughter, niece, cousin and best friend and we miss her dearly.
“We have no doubt in our minds that in time Olivia would have recovered from her health issues and would have had a great future ahead of her. Olivia was an intelligent woman and talented musician. She loved animals and would have had a thriving career in this area. We will never have the opportunity to see this as her life was cut too short in what can only be described as an atrocious and cowardly act. Her mother who has lost her only daughter has shown great strength and dignity throughout this whole ordeal.
“With the sentencing happening today we just want to ensure that justice is done for Olivia and her mother and then for us as family to rebuild the gap that Olivia’s passing has left in our lives.”
From Westgate? Aren’t they really from Pakistan or thereabouts?