A man found with serious injuries at the bottom of cliffs in Hunstanton has been jailed for 10 years for killing his wife.
Kaushik Solanki, 55, admitted manslaughter with diminished responsibility when he appeared before Leicester Crown Court. The court heard he was suffering from a major depressive disorder.
On April 15, 2021, a call was made by a member of his family to Leicestershire Police, stating they were concerned for the welfare of Solanki and his wife, Manisha.
A short time later, a call was received from Norfolk Constabulary to say Solanki had been found seriously injured in Norfolk with life-threatening injuries.
A major air sea rescue operation was launched after Solanki was seen to fall near the Lighthouse Cafe.
He was winched off the beach by helicopter, before being stabilised at the scene and flown to hospital by an air ambulance.
Officers went to the family’s address 90 miles away in Tennis Court Drive, Leicester and forced entry, where they found the body of Mrs Solanki.
Mr Solanki was arrested on suspicion of murder – but released on bail while he received medical care for several months afterwards. In December, following his release, he was charged with the murder of Manisha, 49.
However, during the investigation it was determined that Solanki was suffering from an abnormality of mental functioning which led to him taking his wife’s life. Therefore, a plea of manslaughter was accepted.
Det Insp Jenni Heggs, from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit’s major crime team, said: “This has been a very long and distressing investigation for the Solanki family and my most sincere condolences are with them.
“Mrs Solanki’s death was the result of a tragic set of circumstances and I hope today’s hearing will provide a degree of closure to all those who knew and loved her and allow them to move on with their lives.”
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