The murder of Ashwin Desai
Check-In To MurderIn September 2015, Ashwin Desai was visiting the United Kingdom from his home in Ontario, Canada, on a routine business trip. The night before he was meant to return home, Ashwin became the victim of a vicious and random assault. The attack left Ashwin in a state of unconsciousness. Tragically, he would never regain consciousness.
The case is explored in more detail in the new Crime+Investigation series, Check-In To Murder. This article examines what happened that night, the man responsible, and what the case revealed about the consequences of severe untreated mental illness.
Who was Ashwin Desai?
Ashwin Desai was a Canadian citizen who hailed from Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. He was married to a university professor and had a seven-year-old daughter at the time of his death. Ashwin worked as an IT engineer, a job that required him to travel from time to time. Ashwin was staying at the Hampton by Hilton hotel, close to Luton airport, while in London for work in September 2015.
Ashwin’s family released a statement following his death. They described him as a gentle and caring man who had worked hard to build the life he had for himself with his wife and daughter. The statement reads:
‘Ashwin was a very gentle soul, someone who was always there for his friends and family, and active in the community in which he lived. He will be sorely missed. His simple and caring nature has made this world a better place to live in. Ashwin came from humble beginnings and, with dedicated hard work he built himself a happy life in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.’
The murder of Ashwin Desai
At around 9pm on 20th September 2015, Ashwin was going back to his room after using the gym in the hotel. On his way back, he bumped into a man named Reinis Pupolins. Pupolins was in the midst of a psychotic episode, and when he saw Ashwin, he attacked.
Pupolins grabbed a nearby fire extinguisher and severely beat Ashwin with it. The injuries that Ashwin suffered were so severe that he was knocked unconscious. He never woke up. On 31st December 2015, three months after he was attacked, Ashwin died from his injuries following his repatriation to Canada.
Reinis Pupolins
Pupolins was a 22 year old Latvian man who had been battling significant mental health issues. He was staying at the Hilton hotel like Ashwin, but his behaviour was becoming more erratic leading up to the attack. The staff at a different hotel where Pupolins had been staying beforehand noted odd paranoia. They said that he was convinced that an issue with credit card fraud meant that he was being spied on by the Russian mafia.
In court, it was also stated that Pupolins had not been sleeping, which would have only made his paranoia and anxiety much worse. As well as the attack on Ashwin, another man was also said to have been attacked by Pupolins on the same night. This charge was allowed to lie on file, and no further action was taken.
The trial
The case of Ashwin’s murder came before Luton Crown Court in 2016, and a verdict was given in November of the same year. Pupolins gave a guilty plea to manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility. Psychiatrists who examined Pupolins found these claims to be true, arguing that the man was truly experiencing 'genuine psychotic symptoms' when he killed Ashwin.
The court sentenced Pupolins to detention within a secure mental hospital. This was enforced via Section 37 of the Mental Health Act. This section of the Act is used in criminal courts for offenders who would benefit from a mental health hospital stay rather than a prison sentence.
The sentence also came with a restriction order under Section 41 of the Mental Health Act, which carries an indefinite time limit. Restriction orders under Section 41 are used by the courts for offenders who are considered a risk to the public. This additional charge means that Pupolins can only be released if the Secretary of State Justice agrees to do so.
Ashwin Desai was a hardworking family man who was killed far from home through no fault of his own. His family's statement captures the loss simply and completely.
For more on the cases that have raised questions about mental health, justice and public safety, sign up to the Crime+Investigation newsletter. Every week, you'll receive the latest articles, episodes and more from C+I delivered straight to your inbox.
