Found Deceased UK - Sarah Everard, 33, London - Clapham Common area, 3 March 2021 *Arrests* #10

[Sherlockhames]

Interesting MSM snippet in this article

Policeman charged with kidnap and murder of Sarah Everard | News | The Times

To paraphrase SE and investigation timelines (article is behind a paywall)

SE spotted on a doorbell cam around 9.30pm.
CCTV footage from a london bus is believed to have captured her walking along the road minutes later.
This evidence from TfL (Transport for London) takes days to secure because THEIR OFFICES ARE CLOSED at the weekend.

My guess is - the doorbell cctv is discovered due to local appeal; it enables her timeline to be narrowed between her last recorded whereabouts and her phone pinging off (although they would continue to search longer) and she doesn’t appear on ANPR cameras as would be expected further along route.
Police are able to narrow down the vehicles that would have passed and start looking at number plates/contacting drivers for information. But the bus footage doesn’t surface until Monday morning (the police would have a list of the plates of the buses they wanted to search). But I reckon this could be key footage - either providing evidence of her last known whereabouts or someone is spotted on the footage? It was probably just her, but just as important in narrowing down her location etc would be her ABSENCE on all subsequent bus footage from that route.

Whatever it was, the police have seen something (her? Her with someone? An altercation?) sufficiently concerning that by 3.30pm ish on Tuesday they send forensics to Poynders Court at the corner of Rodenhurst.

And from then things move quite quickly down in Kent as we are aware.

 

[NoSI]

No. There are no defence attorneys noted there, but people who don't watch the news, IMO could be classed as that.

I don't think that holds true as a generalization. People may not watch the news because they are busy working, raising kids etc. Also, some people choose to not watch the news because they find that watching the news raises their anxiety, depression etc. There are many reasons why people may not watch the news. I do not at all attribute this to them not being intelligent. Quite the opposite really. Just something to think about. MOO.

 

[Urbanfox1]

I don't think that those who don't follow the news are unintelligent. Quoting from the biography of JRR Tolkien by Humphrey Carpenter:
During breakfast, Tolkien glances at the newspaper, but only in
the most cursory fashion. He, like his friend C. S. Lewis, regards
‘news’ as on the whole trivial and to be ignored.

Hi everyone - I’m a new poster but just thought I’d add observation on this issue which is that my mother and I are avid true crime fans and tend to follow these things obsessively, not ideal jurors for this type of offence, my father is highly educated and well informed about political, economic etc matters but is entirely uninterested in true crime. He would be ideal candidate in jury selection. There’s an enormous difference between “unintelligent” and “doesn’t follow this type of reporting in MSM.

 

[Dadalorian]

Interesting MSM snippet in this article

Policeman charged with kidnap and murder of Sarah Everard | News | The Times

To paraphrase SE and investigation timelines (article is behind a paywall)

SE spotted on a doorbell cam around 9.30pm.
CCTV footage from a london bus is believed to have captured her walking along the road minutes later.
This evidence from TfL (Transport for London) takes days to secure because THEIR OFFICES ARE CLOSED at the weekend.

My guess is - the doorbell cctv is discovered due to local appeal; it enables her timeline to be narrowed between her last recorded whereabouts and her phone pinging off (although they would continue to search longer) and she doesn’t appear on ANPR cameras as would be expected further along route.
Police are able to narrow down the vehicles that would have passed and start looking at number plates/contacting drivers for information. But the bus footage doesn’t surface until Monday morning (the police would have a list of the plates of the buses they wanted to search). But I reckon this could be key footage - either providing evidence of her last known whereabouts or someone is spotted on the footage? It was probably just her, but just as important in narrowing down her location etc would be her ABSENCE on all subsequent bus footage from that route.

Whatever it was, the police have seen something (her? Her with someone? An altercation?) sufficiently concerning that by 3.30pm ish on Tuesday they send forensics to Poynders Court at the corner of Rodenhurst.

And from then things move quite quickly down in Kent as we are aware.

Possible they could have seen WCs car pulled up and SE talking to him through the window?
Would have made him the last person to see her alive and also could explain why they had people at his house watching him. JMO

 

[Urbanfox1]

Yes there is spousal privilege, but I found the following interesting:

From the Crown Prosecution Service (England and Wales):

Spouses or Civil Partners

[...]

If a spouse witness is divorced from the Defendant or the civil partnership comes to an end before he or she gives evidence, the former spouse/civil partner is competent and compellable to give evidence as if that person and the accused had never been married or had never been civil partners.

[...]

Who knows what steps EC may take if presented with irrefutable information and advised what was in her best interest by way of a deal. IOW, if EC was so inclined and filed for divorce, could that be finalized before WC went to trial.

I’m a lawyer but don’t practice criminal law so this is JMO but I think a divorced status would mean the witness is compellable (ie will be in contempt if they don’t appear to give evidence when summonsed); a spouse is not compellable save in the limited circumstances outlined previous posts, best set out in the links to CPS guidance. However, that does not mean that a spouse is “banned” from giving evidence against their partner, just cannot be compelled to under the law. Therefore, if EC were to testify against him, I don’t think a divorce is a pre-condition to that. I don’t know if prosecution would be more comfortable if there was divorced status as she’d be compellable etc but that’s a slightly different point. This is JMO as I’m not experienced in criminal law but that’s my sort of trained legal take on it.

 

[LuluR38]

Competence and Compellability | The Crown Prosecution Service

What about private conversations? Doesn't marital priviledge cover private communications between spouses? For example, if he confessed to his wife in confidence would she have to testify to that?

The offences for which you can be compelled (as a spouse) are fairly specific really, if there’s any indication of joint charges also I think then the spouse is considered neither competent or able to be compelled to give evidence on those matters any way. Useful guidance Competence and Compellability | The Crown Prosecution Service no I don’t think she would be compelled unless it involves the specific types of offending detailed here (DV / sexual offences against under 16s etc). I’ve seen a spouse compelled to attend to give evidence & hostile witness provisions used in court before (in a DV case where the victim (who had been a victim of multiple DV incidents) didn’t want to give evidence but that’s not apparent here that we know of). One would think if he’s gone home and coughed to the wife about what he’s done / appeared erratic or dodgy etc she’s perhaps shared what she knows with police when she’s been nicked as she’s out on bail which if they had clear evidence of her involvement & assistance I'm unsure would be the case ... unsure if section 9 written statements differ when it reaches court (where they use the written statement and don’t call witness) with spouses, will have to check that one out...

 

[Sherlockhames]

DBM - duplicate post.

 

[Urbanfox1]

Yes, thinking about it, that would make sense for the police to arrest a spouse with anything they can cobble together to get round the compellability issue (assuming she gives a sworn statement) even if it was a passive role such as not calling police when he confessed (or police suspect that)? agree if they thought she had more involvement that wouldn’t have released on bail. JMO

 

[bluetit]

No. There are no defence attorneys noted there, but people who don't watch the news, IMO could be classed as that.

Some people just can’t handle the stress of the news. That doesn’t make them unintelligent.
Some people who have been victims in the past may have trauma related to it.

 

[Coach]

I thought that WC would be charged with kidnap, rape and murder. Is the reason they haven’t charged him with rape because they do not have evidence?

 

[don74]

As has been posted before the allegation of IE allegedly in McD Swanley falls within Bromley borough which is where he was first posted when joining the Met. This could be a complete coincidence of might not be. Only WC knows if it was indeed him. (Being careful in what I say now due to charges being made)

 

[Urbanfox1]

Possible they could have seen WCs car pulled up and SE talking to him through the window?
Would have made him the last person to see her alive and also could explain why they had people at his house watching him. JMO

It’s so sad and I hope to goodness the delay in bus cam footage wouldn’t have made any difference. Just to point out that route i think is operated by Arriva under licence from TfL, not TfL direct (so like most bus routes in LDN). If the footage wasn’t handed over because they weren’t in the office over the weekend (and didn’t go in/log in from home nowadays to check!), questions should be raised over why it wasn’t prioritised. But that is just speculation as it may have taken them the weekend to pinpoint and track the relevant footage JMO

 

[Steveparadox]

No. There are no defence attorneys noted there, but people who don't watch the news, IMO could be classed as that.

Legal practitioners in the UK are solicitors.

 

[LeopardLeotard]

Police van there all night, with police at front of property.
Police vans, cars arriving now, 4 police again entering property further down road x

 

[don74]

I know several friends who work/have worked in Mags Court and I can tell you that all that will happen this morning is he will be asked to confirm his name, dob and address and then the case will be committed to Crown Court. He will not enter a plea, Mags Courts are not allowed to hear pleas for indictable offences such as kidnap and murder. He will be remanded into custody and his next court appearance will be plea hearing at Crown Court.

 

[SpursGyal]

I thought that WC would be charged with kidnap, rape and murder. Is the reason they haven’t charged him with rape because they do not have evidence?

I would imagine it will take some time to establish IF it is at all possible to.

 

[Jenesaisquoi]

Good morning, LL. Thanks in advance for today’s updates and thanks in abundance to all those working so hard on this heartbreaking case.

 

[Urbanfox1]

Legal practitioners in the UK are solicitors.

And barristers of course

 

[Coach]

Our 14yr old was watching the news yesterday and she said to me “mum, you always told me if I am lost or in any danger that if I see someone in uniform ask them for help”.

 

[SpursGyal]

Police van there all night, with police at front of property.
Police vans, cars arriving now, 4 police again entering property further down road x

Thank you LL.

Hope you managed to get a well deserved break from the thread. This can’t be an easy case to follow for you being so close to home.x

 

[don74]

Also, although he is due to "appear" in court today, this can cover an appearance by video link. Given the intense media coverage and public interest I will be surprised if this appearance isn't made by video link. My friends at Mags (albeit different city) tell me most appearances by prisoners on remand are currently being done by video link due to covid, effect on staffing etc. For a 2 minute court appearance it makes sense. Maybe someone on here has links with Westminster Mags Court and might be able to tell us whether they are generally doing things by video link currently?