Alyce
Going back to this discussion, I don't understand why anyone thought they weren't handling the conveyancing of the flat in Newcastle, because Mr Penn gave evidence about how he was doing so, and there's no other reason for consulting a solicitor about that flat except to do the conveyancing. You brought his evidence up again in Thread 4:
Timothy Penn, a solicitor at Penn Sassoly solicitors in Royston, will now be giving evidence.
He said: Helen was introduced to me because she needed a solicitor for the sale of a flat.
On April 5 she came into my office for an appointment. She said to me that I would need her partners ID at some point.
She said the flat had been an investment property, it was surplus to her requirements she was selling it to realise the capital. It was a very routine conveyancing transaction as far as we were concerned.
The flat was in Gateshead, the asking price was £185,000. The purpose of the meeting was an opportunity to meet the client which we always wish to do, and to get some basic instructions from her in regard to the property and the circumstances of the sale.
That was the first and only time I met Helen Bailey. My records showed that Helen was due to come into the office to see me on April 11, 2016, but my office was called and we heard that she would not be coming in because she was unwell.
A few days later Stewart came in with some documents Helen was due to be bringing in but wasnt able to.
He came back and collected the surplus documents about a week later. We copied his ID.
He gave the air of someone who was in a little bit of a hurry, but apart from that there was nothing untoward really.
Of course that still leaves the question of why she was searching for a conveyancer when she already had one, even if she had thoughts about the Royston house - which was their joint property, wasn't it?
fftobed:
