GUILTY UK - Diane Stewart, 47, found dead, Bassingbourn, Cambridgeshire, 25 June 2010 *arrest in 2020*

[Tortoise]

Transcript of phone call between Ian Stewart and a 999 call handler on the day his wife died
Here is a transcript of the 999 call made by Ian Stewart, who is accused of murdering his wife Diane Stewart at their home in 2010.

The call, which is more than 18 minutes long, was played to the jury at Huntingdon Crown Court last week:

Call handler (999): OK, tell me exactly what's happened?

Ian Stewart (IS): My wife's had a fit. I think she's off she's in the garden.

999: OK right, you need to slow down, OK?

Ian Stewart (IS): She's, she's in the garden she's, she's unconscious.

999: OK. Are you with the patient now?

IS: I'm just indoors at the moment.

999: Can you see her from where you are?

IS: Yeah.

999: How old is she please?

IS: She's 45, 47, 47.

999: Is she awake?

IS: No, no, she's not awake. Definitely not.

999: Is she breathing?

IS: No, I don't think so, no.

999: Right, you need to go and check on her for me, please.

IS: I'm right beside her now.

999: Is she breathing?

IS: No sir, no, no.

999: She's not breathing?

IS: I don't think so.

999: Can you check her for me?

IS: Yeah.

999: Is she breathing?

IS: I don't think so, I've turned her to try to put her in the recovery position but I can't do it because she just flopped back. I think she's had a fit.

999: You think she's had a fit?

IS: I think so, she does have epilepsy.

999: OK, just bear with me a moment.

IS: There's a doctor that lives opposite can I go and get him?

999: No, just bear with me a moment. Just bear with me, I'm just going to talk to colleagues.

IS: Do I do anything? What do I do?

999: OK, has she had more than one fit in a row?

IS: She hasn't had a fit. And she was not a fit for a long, long time, about 20 years.

999: Has she had more than one fit in a row.

IS: When? Today?

999: Yes.

IS: No I wasn't there when it happened I just found her, I don't know.

999: Is she pregnant?

IS: No.

999: Is she diabetic?

IS: No.

999: Is she an epileptic or ever had a fit before?

IS: Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

999: Has the twitching stopped yet?

IS: Yeah, she's not moving at all. She's not moving at all.

999: OK, is she breathing at the moment?

IS: I don't, as I said, I don't think so. I don't know. She's frothing at the nose. So I will go to get the doctor...

999: No you need to listen to me sir, OK? We need to try and help her until the help gets there, alright?

IS: OK, OK, the doctor is just opposite...

99: Please, listen to me, we need to help her.

IS: Sorry, sorry.

999: I am organising help for you now, stay on the line. I will tell you exactly what to do next. Are you right by her now?

IS: I'm right beside her, yes.

999: Listen carefully - you need to lie her flat on her back on the ground and remove any pillows.

IS: There's no pillow and she's already flat. I've already done that.

999: Alright, kneel next to her and look in her mouth for food or vomit.

IS: I wiped some of that stuff away already, there was vomit.

999: Do what I'm telling you.

IS: I am.

999: Is there anything in the mouth?

IS: It looks like there's sick, yes.

999: Pardon.

IS: It's...

999: You need to calm yourself down. Is there anything in the mouth.

IS: I don't think so.

999: Place your hand on her forehead, your other hand under her neck, then tilt the head back. Put your ear next to her mouth...

IS: Hold on. I got to put the phone down. Do some of that again, I'm sorry.

999: Place your hand on her forehead. Your other hand under her neck.

IS: Yeah.

999: Then tilt the head back.

IS: Right.

999: Put your ear next to her mouth and tell me if you can feel or hear any breathing.

IS: No, I can't.

999: You can't? OK, put her head back. Are you doing that now, sir?

IS: Yes, yeah, yeah. No, I can't...

999: You can't feel or hear any breathing?

IS: No.

999: OK, listen carefully and I'll tell you how to do resuscitation. Place the heel of your hand on the breastbone in the centre of her chest.

IS: Right.

999: Right between the nipples. Put your other hand on top of that hand.

IS: Yes.

999: Push down firmly two inches with only the heel of your lower hand touching the chest.

IS: Yes.

999: Now listen carefully. You need to pump the chest hard and fast at least twice per second. We're going to do this 600 times or until help can take over. Let the chest come all the way up between pumps.

IS: Can I just say something - they can't get in at the moment because all of the doors are locked.

999: You need to start this sir, OK?

IS: OK, OK I'm doing it.

999: Count out loud so that I can count with you.

IS: Press twice and then release press twice, is that right?

999: Pump the chest hard and fast at least twice per second.

IS: Right, yes.

999: Does this 600 times or until help can take over.

IS: OK doing it.

999: You need to count out loud so I can hear you.

IS: OK, one, two, one, two. Is that fast enough?

999: Listen to me. It needs to be one, two, three, four.

IS: Yes sir.

999: One, two, three, four.

IS: One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four.

999: That's it, well done.

(IS continues counting from one to four).

IS: How hard do I do this?

(IS continues counting from one to four).

IS: How hard do I press?

(IS continues counting from one to four).

999: You just need to pump the chest, hard and fast, at least twice a second, OK?

(IS continues counting from one to four).

999: You need to push down firmly, two inches. Only the heel of your lower hand, OK?

IS: Yeah.

(IS continues counting from one to four).

999: That's it, you're doing really well, sir.

(IS continues counting from one to four).

IS: Do I just keep going?

999: I'll tell you when to stop, sir, it's 600 times.

(IS continues counting from one to four).

999: Slow down sir, it's one, two, three, four.

IS: Sorry.

999: No, you keep going, you're doing well.

(IS continues counting from one to four).

IS: Do I not need to open the door or something?

999: You keep going, I'll tell you when it's 600 times, OK?

(IS continues counting from one to four).

999: Keep going, sir.

(IS continues counting from one to four, counting quicker as time goes by)

999: It's one, two, three, four.

IS: Sorry.

(IS continues counting from one to four).

999: Keep going sir, you're doing really well.

(IS continues counting from one to four).

IS: Can I do nothing else?

999: That's it, we're finished now, listen. I'm going to tell you how to do good mouth to mouth, with the head tilted back, pinch her nose closed and completely cover her mouth with your mouth. Then blow two regular breaths into the lungs about one second each. The chest should rise and fall with each breath.

IS: OK, I'll try. I'm going to put the phone down.

999: OK.

999: Hello sir? Can you feel the air going in and out?

IS: It's difficult because I think she's been sick, I think it's blocked up. I tried to clean it out but I'm not sure I have.

999: Did you feel the air going in and out?

IS: I don't think so. No, I didn't see her chest move either.

999: Right, what I need you to do is quickly and open the door for me.

IS: OK, I need to open the gate actually.

999: Open it so that they can get in to you then come straight back to the phone.

IS: Yeah, I got the gates open.

999: Do you think there's something in the mouth?

IS: I don't know.

999: Well you need to look and clear her mouth out, if there's anything in the mouth.

IS: OK. I'm putting the phone down again.

999: Hello?

IS: I don't think there was, I cleared a lot of sick out of the way.

999: Right. Can you try it and give it two breaths again now?

IS: Yeah sure.

IS: Nothing's happening, nothing's happening, nothing's happening.

999: OK sir, slow down. You're going to keep doing compressions over and over. Don't give up. This will keep her going until the ambulance crew arrives.

IS: OK.

999: Tell me when they're right with her or if anything changes.

IS: What do I do now?

999: You need to start the compressions.

(IS starts counting from one to four)

999: Don't stop what you're doing until the emergency crew takes over from you.

(IS continues counting from one to four).

(The sound of an ambulance can be heard on the phone call).

IS: I can hear them.

999: OK, you need to keep going until they tell you to stop.

IS: OK.

(IS continues counting from one to four).

IS: They've driven past, I think they've driven past.

999: OK, it's number five isn't it?

IS: Yes.

999: You're doing really well, sir. I will let them know.

IS: We're in a cul-de-sac.

999: Are you in a cul-de-sac? Keep doing compressions.

(IS continues counting from one to four).

IS: They've driven past again, they've gone the other way now.

(IS continues counting from one to four).

IS: They're not coming back, they're not coming back, they've gone the other way.

999: You need to keep doing compressions, we'll let them know.

(IS continues counting from one to four).

999: You could be a little bit fast, sir. One, two, three, four.

(IS continues counting from one to four).

999: That's it, that's good.

(IS continues counting from one to four).

IS: They're still not coming back.

999: OK, you keep doing what you're doing, we'll let them know.

(IS continues counting from one to four).

IS: He has waved at me and walked away.

999: He's letting you know he's there - has he stopped? Have they seen you? You keep doing what you're doing until they're ready.

(heard on IS end) Paramedic: Excuse me sir, what's happened here?

IS: She's had a fit.

999: Right, are they with you sir?

IS: Yeah.

999: Right, I'll leave you with them.

Man jailed for life for murdering his fiancee tells court he was 'in love' | Daily Mail Online

 

[Tortoise]

Part of the recording of the 999 call

The 999 call made by husband on trial for wife's murder | ITV News

 

[Alyce]

The transcript of that call is worse than I'd imagined - calling from inside the house instead of taking the phone outside, all this mentioning of unlocking doors and gates when the call handler is trying to give him CPR instructions, then going to get the neighbour.... Any bloody excuse to get away from Diane basically.

Oh and this gem from his testimony:
Mr Malik asked: 'A really silly question - have you any idea how long that took?' Stewart said: 'The straight answer is no. At the end of it I was exhausted.'
Poor exhausted IS.

yes, as always, it’s all about him.

 

[Tortoise]

Mr Malik said: “The prosecution say you caused Diane Stewart to die and that you carried out an action, asphyxiation, upon her.

“What do you say to that?”

Stewart said: “Total rubbish.

“I was trying to save her life that day, the exact opposite of what they say happened.

“I was trying to save her life, get her to breathe again.

“She’s the mother of (their sons) Jamie, Oliver and she was my wife.” [...]

Asked by Mr Malik if he wanted the money, Stewart said: “No, I don’t want that money, I didn’t need that money, it was for the boys’ futures.”

The defendant said he bought a red two-seater MG car after his wife’s death as “it’s what Diane and I had up until (their son) Jamie was born”.

“This was the red one we always wanted, it was just a memory.”

Asked what the memories were of, he added: “Time spent with Diane.

“We had lots of time going on day trips to car events.”

Ian Stewart came home to find first wife 'crumpled on the floor'

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

So that is contradictory.

From above posts:

“I started to panic obviously. The first thing I did was try to put her into the recovery position.

“I knew because I had done quite a lot of first-aid, I had to get her into the recovery position and clear her mouth.”

He told how he cleaned Diane's mouth of vomit and foam from the supposed epileptic fit she was suffering.

Stewart also claimed he was left "exhausted" by carrying out CPR for "quite a while" so popped to a neighbouring home owned by a doctor and nurse.

He said he left stricken Diane for up to five minutes before coming back when there was no answer.

Stewart then called 999,


Then when on phone to emergency operator:

IS: I don't think so, I've turned her to try to put her in the recovery position but I can't do it because she just flopped back. I think she's had a fit.

999: You think she's had a fit?

IS: I think so, she does have epilepsy.

999: OK, just bear with me a moment.

IS: There's a doctor that lives opposite can I go and get him?

999: No, just bear with me a moment. Just bear with me, I'm just going to talk to colleagues.

IS: Do I do anything? What do I do?


So did he or did he not put her in recovery position BEFORE calling 999?

Did he or did he not try CPR BEFORE calling 999?

Did he or did he not know how to perform CPR before calling 999?

Did he or did he not go to the doctor's house BEFORE calling 999?

 

[Alyce]

This is the Cambridge news version, which indicates that IS did CPR twice on his own, before doing further CPR under the guidance of the 999 operator.



Stewart said he “put her on her back to put her in the position for CPR” and then did “30 compressions and then mouth to mouth”.

Stewart said a doctor and a nurse lived in the house opposite theirs.

“I didn’t ring 999, I went over to them to try to get help,” he said.

He said he was “obviously panicking” and “had left Diane on her own at this time”.

There was no answer at his neighbours’ door, Stewart said, and he returned to his wife.

“Diane was still lying there so I tried CPR again,” he said.

Asked how long he did CPR for, he said: “I don’t know.

I know when I finished that I was worn out. “That’s when I went off again and made the 999 call.


Ian Stewart came home to find first wife 'crumpled on the floor'

 

[Alyce]

Mr Malik : When they ( the paramedics ) carried out CPR, what did you think about the way they had done it?

Stewart : It was just different, staccato. I thought I hadn’t succeeded as I had done it wrong.
That was in my mind straight away. I had failed, I hadn’t saved Diane’s life basically.

Ian Stewart came home to find first wife 'crumpled on the floor'

 

[Alyce]

Another artist's impression

Ian Stewart came home to find first wife 'crumpled on the floor'

 

[neteditor]

BBC reporter in court today:

https://twitter.com/JonIronmonger/status/1488827071367426052

 

[Alyce]

From Net's link above


Stuart Trimmer: Did Diane have pet names for you?
IS: No I don't think she did.


after 24 years of marriage you would think he might know

 

[Moll]

BBC reporter in court today:

https://twitter.com/JonIronmonger/status/1488827071367426052

Thank you for this - I can see the Strimmer is going for all the inconsistencies and IS has had to admit his previous deviousness, like pretending Helen Bailey was missing when in fact her dead body was in the cesspit in the garage. Unfortunately I am not on Twitter and don't usually want to be, so just when I was getting into it I was banned from going any further. So if you or anyone can report details from time to time it would be great - otherwise let's hope JI manages to get a detailed report on to the BBC website.

 

[Skigh]

https://mobile.twitter.com/JonIronmonger
I.S has not thought through his story! I imagine he would have known the doctor was out .


...into the garden, started again doing compressions and mouth-to-mouth. Now you're on the phone to the 999 operator you say I think she's had a fit. You say "there’s a doctor who lives opposite, shall I go get him?" But it can't have been 8 minutes since you went to his house?

 

[Alyce]

Thank you for this - I can see the Strimmer is going for all the inconsistencies and IS has had to admit his previous deviousness, like pretending Helen Bailey was missing when in fact her dead body was in the cesspit in the garage. Unfortunately I am not on Twitter and don't usually want to be, so just when I was getting into it I was banned from going any further. So if you or anyone can report details from time to time it would be great - otherwise let's hope JI manages to get a detailed report on to the BBC website.

I can post them up

 

[Alyce]

From @neteditor link above

Tweets from JonIronmonger

Ian Stewart, 61, is being cross-examined, accused of choking or strangling his wife, Diane Stewart. Her death in 2010 was recorded as SUDEP (epilepsy), but it was reinvestigated years later after Stewart was found guilty of murdering the children's author Helen Bailey.


Stuart Trimmer QC (ST): Helen Bailey called you the "gorgeous grey-haired widower"?
Ian Stewart (IS): Yes.
ST: An arrangement was made if she died before the wedding you'd take most of the finances?
IS: Yes.
ST: Did Diane have pet names for you?
IS: No I don't think she did.

ST: Was your relationship with Diane tired?
IS: Certainly not.
ST: With Helen Bailey you were both madly in love weren’t you?
IS: Yes
ST: One witness said you had a spring in your step.
IS: I’d say I was a very similar man.

ST: Both women died in sudden, unexpected circumstances?
IS: I don't know how to answer that. They both died unexpectedly yes.

ST: When Helen Bailey was missing you had flyers printed to make people aware of the fact
IS: Yes
ST: She wasn't missing was she? She hadn't gone to Broadstairs. She was found in the cess pit wasn't she?
IS: Yes.

ST: You told police she'd left a a note, which you were never able to produce
IS: Yes – I wasn’t able
ST: You continued to send messages to her phone
IS: I did – they were of my love of Helen Bailey
ST: But in fact you had it in your back pocket or on your person
IS: Yes

ST: Can you see why it is the crown suggest you’re devious?
IS: I can understand you point of view yes

 

[Alyce]

More from @neteditor link above


ST: Before calling 999, you say you did CPR (on Diane) including mouth to mouth and after becoming exhausted you thought of the doctor and ran across the road, you knocked at the door, waited a couple of minutes, concluded there was no-body there, came back across the road, into the garden, started again doing compressions and mouth-to-mouth.
Now you're on the phone to the 999 operator you say I think she's had a fit. You say "there’s a doctor who lives opposite, shall I go get him?" But it can't have been 8 minutes since you went to his house?

IS: Sitting here thinking logically I agree with you, but there was a big panic going on at the time, so what I was thinking god knows

ST: It's not confusion, you’re creating a lie

IS: I don’t know what was going through my mind. It was confusion, blur, stunned - I don’t know

ST: You’re creating the impression you’re trying to do your best to help her, run across the road to get a doctor – this is all a lie
IS: I did. I was trying. And I had been trying for some time
ST: This is all just a lying charade – you're a devious man
IS: No

 

[Alyce]

ST: You didn't like Wendy Bellamy-Lee (Diane's sister) and how she behaved. You thought she viewed you with considerable suspicion
IS: No not at all. She had no reason to
ST: You didn't want her poking around in what happened...
IS: I wasn't aware she had any suspicions

ST: All of Diane's friends and family turned out to the cremation – there were a huge number
IS: It was amazing, she was extremely well loved
ST: They wanted to understand how this shocking event had occurred?
IS: Yes, so many people wanted to know why Diane had died




Jon Ironmonger
@JonIronmonger

 

[Alyce]

Mr Trimmer suggests the defendant has cooked up a cover story to "hide what he'd achieved by sleeper hold or bag" and describes him as "callous" with a "violent nature"
IS: No
ST: Murdering Helen Bailey, disposing of the dog in a cess pit… callous?
IS: Yes

ST: You were affronted weren’t you when you were arrested (in 2018)?
IS: Yes
ST: you were wondering if this thing was coming back to bite you
IS: No, I thought they'd found something to do with Helen Bailey - I thought they'd found the culprits


Jon Ironmonger
@JonIronmonger

 

[Alyce]

ST: You lied (after Helen Bailey went missing) convincingly for at least three months before they came and looked in the pit
IS: Correct
ST: And for that period you were interviewed on a number of occasions and you lied
IS: I had to lie yes

ST: Just a coincidence both without any particular anatomical cause of death? And in the opinion of the same pathologist, reason to believe both had died of asphyxiation
IS: As I understand it there was no proof give to that in any way shape or form

ST: And in this case you were on the phone to the 999 operator and you lied didn’t you?
IS: No I didn’t
ST: I’m suggesting the whole thing was a lie a charade. In Helen Bailey's case all of your comments were a charade
IS: I had to say what I had to say – I had to lie

ST: This jury will have the opportunity of putting those things side by side and seeing whether they were a coincidence. Both cases were the murder of a woman who you were intimately connected with for gain

ST: You did gain didn't you (from Diane's death)
IS: Are you talking money? Insurance policies were available yes
ST: Once she died all of the money was to go towards the purchase of a house in Royston and you retained some for your benefit
IS: Yes

ST: Is it not very surprising that both Helen Bailey and Diane Stewart are individuals whose death was caused by a similar mechanism – in the view of the professionals?
IS: It’s just their opinion

ST: Is it surprising that you should be found to lie in a spectacular way in relation to Helen Bailey then again in relation to Diane Stewart?
IS: I had to lie in relation to Helen Bailey. I have not lied in one way in relation to Diane Stewart

ST: You disposed of Helen Bailey by putting her in the pit and hoped decomposition would occur sufficiently quickly so she’d never be found, and put her dog in the pit so you could say to people she’s just gone
IS: I didn’t

ST: And you had Diane Stewart cremated so there’d be very little to come back and bite you
IS: It was a joint decision with the boys




Jon Ironmonger
@JonIronmonger
·

 

[Alyce]

Cross-examination of the defendant has now concluded. Stewart denies murder.

Jon Ironmonger
@JonIronmonger
·

 

[scandinavian girl]

"I had to lie in relation to Helen Bailey" Does this mean that IS is still holding on to the Nick and Joe story?