The man accused of the murder of Indian student Anuj Bidve in Salford last December is found guilty by a jury in Manchester. His father pays tribute to his son – “the kindest, most genuine person”.
Kiaran Stapleton, 21, from the Ordsall area of Salford, had admitted he killed Anuj Bidve, a “random stranger”, who was walking with friends through Ordsall in the early hours of Boxing Day 2011.
However Stapleton denied that he murdered Mr Bidve, instead pleading manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
Manchester crown court had heard that Stapleton, who gave his name as “Psycho” in court, had been drinking with friends in the hours before the shooting. He said his friend Ryan Holden was carrying a gun and gave it to him to hold when he decided to approach the group and ask them for the time.
Our son, Anuj, was the kindest and most genuine person on this earth…Kiaran Stapleton is the complete opposite and yet he is the one who is still alive and our son is dead. Subhash Bidve, Anuj’s father
Mr Bidve was studying for a postgraduate qualification at Lancaster University after arriving in the UK last September. He was spending Christmas with friends in Manchester and was on the way to the Boxing Day sales in Manchester city centre with a group of other Indian students when he was killed.
Subhash Bidve, Anuj’s father, said that Stapleton had “smiled and openly laughed at the memory of our son” while giving evidence.
“Throughout the proceedings Stapleton maintained his defence of diminished responsibility and made us all sit through five weeks of harrowing evidence,” he said.
Mr Bidve paid also paid tribute to his son, who he said was going to “fulfill our hopes and dreams”.
“Our son, Anuj, was the kindest and most genuine person on this earth,” he said. “Kiaran Stapleton is the complete opposite and yet he is the one who is still alive and our son is dead.”
He later added: “We will now return to India, far sadder, and will take with us only the memories of our beloved son Anuj.”
Speaking about the moment he opened fire, Stapleton said: “I raised it in my right hand and then shot the firearm.”
Asked by Simon Csoka QC, why he shot the gun, Stapleton responded: “I honestly don’t know. I don’t even know where I shot the guy. I just raised my hand and then shot it and ran.”
Mr Csoka asked what was going through his mind. Stapleton said: “It just went blank and I just turned round and ran.”
Stapleton said how he and Holden ran back to his home where he showered and collected his clothes together. While there, Ryan called him a “mad guy”, Stapleton said.
The following morning they went to another friend’s house where he saw the news which confirmed a man had been killed. “How did that make you feel,” Mr Csoka asked.
“Nothing. I didn’t think about it,” replied Stapleton.
Anuj suffered a shot to the head and died in hospital shortly afterwards.
Mr Bidve’s parents visited the UK shortly after his death and hundreds of people joined a march at the place where he was shot in the head.
Following a visit to Parliament, Mr Bidve’s father Subhash told journalists that he hoped no other families would go through what he has:
“I feel as a father, this should not happen again. A lot of Indian students come here, I humbly request you all, make sure that all the students come here .. and go back to their own countries.”
Mr Bidve’s former university in Pune, India, has set up a full-time engineering scholarship at the University of Lancaster in his memory.