LONDON, Sept. 19 (UPI) -- A British grandmother was sentenced to life in prison Wednesday for the killing of her daughter-in-law, who allegedly was having an affair and wanted a divorce.
Bachan Athwal, 70, and her son, Sukhdave, 43, both of London, were found guilty of murder in July for arranging the so-called "honor killing" of Surjit Athwal, 27, who vanished in 1998 while on a trip to India for a family wedding with her mother-in-law, the BBC reported.
Bachan, a mother of six with 16 grandchildren, must serve at least 20 years in prison. Her son was sentenced to a minimum of 27 years.
"The pair of you decided that the so-called honor of your family members was worth more than the life of this young woman," Judge Giles Forrester said during sentencing. "You, Bachan, were head of that family. I have no doubt you exercised a controlling influence over other family members."
Bachan allegedly had vowed a divorce would only take place "over my dead body," the BBC said. She allegedly had boasted to her family she had got rid of her daughter-in-law by getting a relative to strangle her and throw her body into a river.
