Judge hands down a minimum tariff of seven years for manslaughter of human rights laywer

A cross-dressing killer who pushed his friend to her death under the wheels of a Tube train has been jailed for life with a minimum tariff of seven years today (Thursday).

Senthooran Kanagasingham, 35, of Chichele Road, Cricklewood, shoved friend Sonia Burgess into the path of a train at King’s Cross-Saint Pancras Tube station on October 25 last year.

Ms Burgess, 63, who was born and worked as a man named David but was known to family and friends as Sonia, died instantly.

Sri-Lankan Kanagasingham, who is also known as Nina, had been taking hormone therapy to change his gender at the time of the killing and was also taking anti-depressants.

Ms Burgess, a divorced father-of-three and top human rights lawyer, was content to remain biologically male and had not tried to physically change her gender

The court heard the paranoid schizophrenic had become angry after fellow transsexual Ms Burgess told his GP she was becoming ‘anxious and stressed’ at an appointment earlier that day.

Kanagasingham was ‘highly psychotic’ at the time of the killing and also believed his victim was plotting to kill him.

He admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility and was cleared of murder.

Sentencing him, Judge Stephen Kramer QC said he was worried the killer would pose a threat to those he befriended in future.

He added: “There is a significant risk that your mental condition might deteriorate and such a person would be at risk from you in the same way that Sonia turned out to be.

“When the time comes, the assessment as to whether you are ready to be released will be made by others - I make it clear that you will not be automatically released.”

“That is, in my judgement, absolutely necessary in this case.”