GUILTY UK - Helen Bailey, 51, Royston, 11 April 2016 #1

[Alyce]

Court is back


Kate Bradbrook ‏@katebradbrook 1m1 minute ago

#helenbailey trial shown recorded police interview with Ian Stewart on 22 April

 

[Alyce]

this is the ground floor plan, taken from the link IceMaiden provided.

The only door giving access out to the back is the conservatory door on the right side of conservatory.
So looks like he did not drag her down the driveway, as to do that, he had to go out of the front door of the house...which would not make sense

( I still lean towards the car theory myself though )

 

[Alyce]

Kate Bradbrook ‏@katebradbrook 2m2 minutes ago

#helenbailey Ian Stewart taped interview: police ask him to explain movements on 11th April 2016

#helenbailey Ian Stewart heard to say he took a soiled duvet to dump, along with packaging on that day

#helenbailey Ian Stewart taped interview: Helen left note saying she needed time, pls don't contact me, going to Broadstairs

 

[Alyce]

Jury to hear Ian Stewart's taped interview

We’re back in the court room now - jurors are now listening to the first video recorded interview with Ian Stewart.

The interview time is 4.40pm and the date is Friday April 22, 2016.

The video interview is expected to last two hours.


http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/incoming/helen-bailey-murder-trial-case-12475974

 

[Alyce]

She had really gone'

In the video interview, Stewart says Helen was last seen on April 11, 2016.

“I remember bits of it. Helen loaded my car with a large duvet and some boxes to be sent to the dump.

“Then she was in her office for a while, I went back to bed. She went out in the car to get some milk but came back almost instantly. She was upset with something that had happened and she said she was never going to drive again.

“I phoned up and rearranged my doctor’s appointment. Helen said ‘If possible, make it this afternoon and then you can take stuff to the solicitors at the same time’.

“I dashed out because I was late. I realised I’d only taken half of the solicitors papers, so I rushed back, saw the other paperwork on the side.

“Then I went back to the solicitors and came home. Helen wasn’t here, then I thought she had gone to Broadstairs.

“I remember thinking ‘she really has gone’.

“I sent her a text. I woke up and I was in pain. I was sleeping quite a lot at this point. I know there’s a big chunk missing out of that [explanation].”

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/incoming/helen-bailey-murder-trial-case-12475974


my comment - there's a big chunk missing out of that explanation - isn't there just !!

 

[Tortoise]

[FONT=&quot]“At one point I found it particularly odd that after a conversation I had with him, he appeared to turn his head to the side and looked at us and grinned.”

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/helen-baileys-fianc-grinned-cops-12483345
[/FONT]

 

[Alyce]

A note from Helen Bailey

“A note from Helen said ‘I’m going to Broadstairs. Don’t contact me in any way. Love you more, LB’.

“The note was written on plain white A4 paper. I don’t remember the handwriting.”

Stewart also explained that on the day of Helen’s disappearance, he disposed of a blood stained duvet which Ms Bailey had loaded into the car.

“It had blood on it from this wound”, he said, pointing to his side.

The court has previously heard how ‘LB’ was a nickname Helen Bailey used.


http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/incoming/helen-bailey-murder-trial-case-12475974

 

[Alyce]

Helen Bailey 'wasn't happy' before she disappeared

Stewart is asked to describe how Helen was at the point

he came back in the car and said she was never driving again.

“She was frustrated with herself, there were no tears or anything, she was just upset with herself. Something had gone wrong and she wasn’t happy.”


http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/incoming/helen-bailey-murder-trial-case-12475974


Note - I presume that's a typo and it should read she came back

 

[Cherwell]

my comment - there's a big chunk missing out of that explanation - isn't there just !!

I wonder if it's possible to make out the smoke or flames rising from his pants.

 

[Interested Bystander]

Ah, this must be the wood referred to prior the trial. So not a large sheet and painted to match the garage floor. Painted when?

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/helen-baileys-fianc-grinned-cops-12483345
“A plywood insert had been placed over the top and painted so it was the same colour as the garage floor, the court was told.”

 

[ZaZara]

A little more about cess pits (have searched septic tanks yet)

http://www.gd-environmental.co.uk/blog/how-often-should-i-empty-my-cesspit-and-other-faqs/
How Often Should I Have My Cesspit Emptied?
We get asked this a lot! And it appears everyone seems to have differing opinions, ranging from your neighbour who thinks it never needs to be emptied as it’s self-cleaning, to the Environment Agency who recommends it being emptied once a year.
The frequency also depends on a number of factors; the size of your property, size of the tank, the number of occupants and the general usage, such as the amount of people bathing or showering every day.

How Do I Know it Needs Emptying?
You can usually determine if your tank needs emptying due to an unpleasant odour coming from your tank. GD Environmental suggests you follow The Environment Agency’s guidelines and arrange for your cesspit to be emptied on an annual basis to prevent any offensive odours and blockages.

What Maintenance Does My Cesspit Require?
Cesspits are relatively low maintenance, providing they are emptied regularly. This can be easily arranged by calling GD Environmental on 01633 277755.
We also advise that you don’t allow flammable liquids to enter the system and keep the service area around the cesspit (manhole) free from overgrown plants and weeds.
Regular maintenance also prevents your tank from overflowing or leaking. Should this happen, it needs to be dealt with quickly and efficiently to prevent it polluting nearby land and water.

A cesspit functions differently if it is connected to a sewerage system. Quoting from some earlier posts of mine:

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...Royston-11-April-2016&p=12693998#post12693998

The problem might be with the slope of the property. If the house was built around 1900 with a septic tank or well, then all drains would flow in the direction of the well in the back of the garden. This puts the house on the highest point so to speak, at least for the drains.
So if a modern sewage system is built from the main road in front of the house, you have a problem, because all your pipes are going the other way, and water does not flow uphill by itself. Plus you have to connect the system from the lowest point and that would be the garage. According to the info, the garage has a guestroom with facilities.

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...Royston-11-April-2016&p=12694401#post12694401

If a cesspit or cesspool has an outlet or overflow that is located lower than the inlet, the system may function for ages without anyone ever having to clean it. Also, this would give the impression that the overflow IS the actual septic tank, as the Police thought when they first searched the premises for Helen.

 

[Alyce]

This is an article from March 2016
I have copied over a few snippets , there is more at the link, including a map which shows the location of the proposed new build - directly opposite Hartwell Lodge on the open heath.



Concerns raised about infrastructure strain as plan submitted for 300 homes in Royston

Referring to sewage capacity, she said: “There are already some problems with it in that area, and another 300 odd homes worth of sewerage being pumped into the existing Victorian sewers in Baldock Road and Mackerel Hall does not fill us with much confidence.

In the utilities report, Anglian Water proposes to mitigate against the ‘detriment to their existing sewer network’ by building an offline storage tank along Baldock Road.


http://www.royston-crow.co.uk/news/..._submitted_for_300_homes_in_royston_1_4459035

 

[Alyce]

I've got this memory of saying goodbye'

“When I woke up in my chair, in my study, I don’t remember anything different in the house. I’ve got this memory of saying goodbye to her.

“I’m trying to remember back. [On April 11] I don’t remember driving anywhere, I don’t remember going to the dump, or the doctors. I do remember going up the stairs to the solicitors.

“I can’t remember the sequence of events at all. I went to the doctors, and I went to the solicitors. Maybe I did [went to] the dump. Maybe I did that the next day.

“I honestly don’t remember, I’ve tried.”


http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/incoming/helen-bailey-murder-trial-case-12475974


my note - what happened to Helen standing at the window holding Boris, and waving a fond farewell

 

[Alyce]

What happened at the dump?

Stewart is now being asked about the dump.

He said: “All I remember is carefully wrapping the duvet up and making sure it didn’t become unwrapped before carrying it up the steps [to the dump].

“Getting rid of boxes and packaging was a regular occurrence. I know the duvet goes in the general waste part of the dump, the one that’s not recyclable. I’ve taken three or four duvets there before.

“I know it’s the first one straight in front of you as you pull in [to the dump].”


http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/incoming/helen-bailey-murder-trial-case-12475974

 

[mrjitty]

[FONT="]“At one point I found it particularly odd that after a conversation I had with him, he appeared to turn his head to the side and looked at us and grinned.”

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/helen-baileys-fianc-grinned-cops-12483345
[/FONT]

oh dear

 

[icemaiden65]

Aerial view of property shows what an obstacle course it would have been to drag Helen from the rear of the house to the rear of the garage:

 

[Alyce]

A cesspit functions differently if it is connected to a sewerage system. Quoting from some earlier posts of mine:

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...Royston-11-April-2016&p=12693998#post12693998

The problem might be with the slope of the property. If the house was built around 1900 with a septic tank or well, then all drains would flow in the direction of the well in the back of the garden. This puts the house on the highest point so to speak, at least for the drains.
So if a modern sewage system is built from the main road in front of the house, you have a problem, because all your pipes are going the other way, and water does not flow uphill by itself. Plus you have to connect the system from the lowest point and that would be the garage. According to the info, the garage has a guestroom with facilities.

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...Royston-11-April-2016&p=12694401#post12694401

If a cesspit or cesspool has an outlet or overflow that is located lower than the inlet, the system may function for ages without anyone ever having to clean it. Also, this would give the impression that the overflow IS the actual septic tank, as the Police thought when they first searched the premises for Helen.

First BIB ( done by me )
That was what I was trying to say earlier - that given the age of the property and its location ( which I have driven past quite a few times ) it did not look to me as though they could connect onto the main road and a mains sewage system

 

[Tortoise]

What happened at the dump?
[snipped]

"I’ve taken three or four duvets there before."

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/incoming/helen-bailey-murder-trial-case-12475974

Oh really.

 

[Alyce]

Aerial view of property shows what an obstacle course it would have been to drag Helen from the rear of the house to the rear of the garage:

Yep, down steps and through two fence gates to that side door....
However, there does not appear to be any direct line of sight with that route, whereas with the driveway route ( which is more or less discounted now I think, as would have meant exiting from the front door of the house ) there is line of sight from the neighbours upper windows.

 

[Alyce]

Oh really.

Indeed - would be fascinated to know why there seemed to be a high duvet consumption rate