Man jailed for life after fatally stabbing his estranged wife in Bootle

A man has been jailed for life - to serve a minimum of 29 years - after fatally stabbing his estranged wife inside a shop in Bootle.

Nimalarajah Mathiyaparanam, 47, of Warrington Road, in Widnes, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court today (Friday 16 January) after pleading guilty to murder and possession of a knife blade/sharp pointed article in a public place on the second day of his trial. He had previously pleaded guilty to breaching his restraining order. 

Officers were called to Low Cost Food and Wine, on Stanley Road, shortly after 5.05pm on Friday 20 June 2025 and found 44-year-old Nilani Nimalarajah with multiple stab wounds. She was taken to hospital but sadly passed away a short time later. 

Mathiyaparanam was detained at the scene but was taken to hospital where he remained in a critical condition for several weeks after ingesting an unknown substance during the incident.

He eventually recovered and was charged with the offences on Wednesday 16 July.

Nilani Nimalarajah

 

In a tribute issued today by Nilani's eldest daughter on behalf of her siblings, she said: "My mum, Nilani, was love in its purest form, she was my strength, my safety and my home. As her eldest daughter I carry her spirit with me every day, her life mattered, her love remains and she will never be forgotten. Forever yours, ‘AMMA’. From all three of us we stand together in love for our mum."

In a Victim Impact Statement, she further said: "My mum was such a strong woman; she would never allow anyone to disrespect our family and would stand up for who she loved.

“Her absence is something I feel every single day. I miss her voice, her laugh, and the way she made even the hardest days feel manageable. There is a constant emptiness in my life that I will ever fully recover from.

“From an early age, my mum was my role model, she taught me how to cook, clean, manage finances and practical life skills. She told me to stay smiling even through the hardest days. I never thought I would have to do this without her.”

Detective Chief Inspector Alan Nuttall, who led the investigation, said: “I welcome the sentencing of Mathiyaparanam, who was today handed a significant prison sentence for the truly shocking murder of his estranged wife, Nilani.

“This act of domestic violence is one of the worst I’ve seen during my time working at Merseyside Police.

“Mathiyaparanam carried out his pre-meditated and targeted attack when there were plenty of people around, it was rush hour traffic on the street outside and lots of witnesses. He was clearly intent on killing Nilani on this afternoon and simply didn’t care about the consequences.

“After being arrested he had to be taken to hospital and was in a critical condition for several weeks after he had ingested an unknown substance during the incident. He recovered and was fit enough to face justice in court.

“Although nothing can bring Nilani back, I sincerely hope that the sentencing of Mathiyaparanam can bring her family and friends some comfort. We have been determined to get justice not only for Nilani, but also their children and our thoughts remain with them.

“I would also like to take his opportunity to thank the public for their support, for assisting the victim on the day and continuing to help us with the investigation.

“We understand how distressing this incident would have been to anyone who witnessed it and the shock that continues to be felt by the local community.”

DCI Nuttall added: “I would urge anyone who may be a victim of domestic abuse, or know someone who might be, to please reach out for help to the police or a local support service. 

"Domestic abuse comes in many forms. If you are suffering from physical, sexual, psychological or financial abuse, or are being threatened, intimidated or stalked by a current or previous partner or close family member, it’s likely you’re a victim of domestic abuse.

"We take reports of domestic abuse extremely seriously, and we are here to listen and support you and bring perpetrators to justice. Merseyside Police is determined to break that cycle of abuse where perpetrators continue to commit crime after crime against their victim thinking that every time they do, they are less likely to get caught.

“We remain dedicated to listening to the voices of women and girls to understand what more policing can do to keep them safe and will continue to put effective measures in place to respond to those fears and concerns.”

If you have any non-urgent information on domestic abuse – if you are a victim or believe someone you know is a victim - you can contact us via direct message @MerPolCC on Twitter, ‘Merseyside Police Contact Centre’ on Facebook or contact @CrimestoppersUK, anonymously on 0800 555 111.

If you are in immediate danger, always call 999. If you ring 999 and are not in a safe position to speak to us then cough, or tap, the phone and press 55, when prompted. This will alert the operator that you need assistance and we will provide support.

You can also request information under Clare’s Law, the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme. This scheme enables the police to release information about any previous history of violence or abuse a person might have.

Find out more here: Request information under Clare's Law: Make a Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (DVDS) application | Merseyside Police

Further information on the local and national support available can be found here:  Support organisations for victims of domestic violence | Merseyside Police 

We have an ongoing Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) campaign to put the voices of women and girls at the heart of our work to tackle VAWG. You can find out more about the campaign here: www.merseyside.police.uk/vawg