Convicted murderer Rajwinder Singh caused real harm by blaming innocent witnesses, court told

Convicted killer Rajwinder Singh caused “real harm” to grieving loved ones by falsely accusing others of Toyah’s murder despite there being no evidence of their involvement.

Convicted murderer Rajwinder Singh in the Cairns Supreme Court on Tuesday 9 December 2025 for his sentencing. Credit: Julie Haysom.

Convicted murderer Rajwinder Singh tried to shift blame by “besmirching” innocent witnesses, with prosecutors saying his unfounded accusations caused real harm despite “non-existent” evidence, the court was told.

Singh will spend at least 25 years in jail after he was sentenced to life imprisonment for the “vicious, sickening, shocking and depraved” murder of 24-year-old Toyah Cordingley at Wangetti Beach seven years ago.

Justice Lincoln Crowley in the Cairns Supreme Court during the sentencing of Rajwinder Singh on Tuesday 9 December 2025. Credit: Julie Haysom.

Justice Lincoln Crowley described Singh, 41, a former nurse, as “selfish” and a “gutless coward”.

The court was told Singh tried to shift the blame to others during the trial, casting his net wide in “besmirching and embarrassing others”.

“You have shown no remorse for your offending,” Justice Crowley said.

Marco Heidenreich was presented by the defence as an alternative suspect in the killing of Toyah Cordingley. Picture: Brendan Radke

“You sought to blame others through your conduct of the defence of this matter, particularly Toyah’s boyfriend, Marco Heidenreich, casting a far and wide net to besmirch the character of others, to embarrass and point the finger at as many people as possible in an effort to set up further false possibilities of who might be the killer.

Queenslsnd police video still of Rajwinder Singh arriving in Melbourne after being extradited from India for the death of Toya Cordingley.

“You denied all responsibility – your motivations are unknown.”

The court was told Singh fled to live in a temple in India, where he was arrested in November 2022, then extradited to Australia in March 2023, where he “falsely claimed” to an undercover police officer that he saw two masked men murder Ms Cordingley.

Marco Heidenreich's friend Joel Cuman was a witness on day four the Toyah Cordingley murder trial. Picture: Peter Carruthers

During sentencing earlier this week, Justice Crowley said Singh went to great lengths to conceal his crime at the beach, flee Australia, then to avoid accountability when he was ultimately found in India four years later.

Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions barrister Nathan Crane leaves the Cairns Supreme Court after a guilty verdict was delivered to Rajwinder Singh. Mr Singh has been found guilty of the murder of 24 year old Cairns woman Toyah Cordingley at Wangetti Beach on October 21, 2018. Picture: Brendan Radke

Crown prosecutor Nathan Crane said that Ms Cordingley’s boyfriend had not attended the sentencing, nor provided a victim impact statement, but had been in close contact with the prosecution and was “involved behind the scenes.”

“There is an obvious impact, in my submission on Marco Heidenreich, and he is a victim under the relevant legislation, being at the relevant time, in an intimate relationship with Ms Cordingley,” he said.

“Your honour will note that he (Marco Heidenreich) was accused of murder, effectively during the course of the trial, and during the last trial, and accused of sexual misconduct in the last trial in respect of Ms Cordingley … That is an impactful circumstance for him to be in while grieving his partner’s death.”

“It has the capacity to contribute to public sentiment or narrative around his involvement in a crime which YH has noted there is no foundation for his involvement.

“The evidence was just not there. It was not just weak – it was non-existent.”

Originally published as Convicted murderer Rajwinder Singh caused real harm by blaming innocent witnesses, court told