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

[Satchie]

I think LE did a great job - this murderer was very smart and had so many people convinced, kudos to LE for seeing through his lies. I think they knew that as long as many believed it couldn't be him, they couldn't aggressively and openly pursue that scenario.

As to motive, I agree with Tortoise and would add, perhaps since Helen was now a public figure, to have the world know she'd left him wasn't something he was going to tolerate. I keeping thinking of that phrase in his letter to her, "we promised each other 30 years" and finish the sentence with 'and I'll kill you if you break that promise'.

 

[MillyM]

Really brought tears to my eyes reading about the poor dog too. What a despicable piece of s!&? he is to do that. Hope he gets given what for in jail.

 

[MillyM]

Going back to earlier comments about his first wife's death, possibly all above board, but would like to know whether her death by epileptic seizure was as a result of falling and severe trauma to her head was considered as cause of death? If so, could that have been due to receiving a blunt force hit by someone else? Also, did he stand to greatly benefit by it?

 

[Tortoise]

I would be surprised if the police don't revisit the coroner who certified her cause of death Milly. I've wondered the same thing.

 

[MillyM]

Press saying in latest updates that Boris was buried next to her. :'(

 

[Ironside]

Hi Ironside, do you have a link to that please?

I read this on BBC News website. I'm on my phone and can't seem to copy and paste it for you sorry.

 

[Legally Bland]

I read this on BBC News website. I'm on my phone and can't seem to copy and paste it for you sorry.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-36814157

 

[Ironside]

I'm reading her book about grief at the moment. She mentions wanting to leave her body to medical science but I'd guess that Is unlikely to happen now.

 

[Paulas88]

I think the police did get a tip off. Also the reports say 'what is believed to be a body' which makes me wonder is it a body intact albeit after 3 months or remains, meaning he disposed of the body in some way initially and then buried the remains

I think the tip came from one of IS' son'.

 

[Alyce]

Police said they will not be commmenting on where exactly in the garden Helen was found or how Boris died.

I wonder if their non comment is ;

to cover themselves from criticism of not finding them earlier
to be respectful to the family as the general public really does not need to know this detail
to assist the prosecution for the trial ( if there is no guilty plea and instinct tells me there wont be )

 

[suzyjackson]

I wonder if the police are just covering every angle, in light of previous situations, when they didnt do enough ( am thinking of the actress who was eventually found buried in her garden, weeks after the initial police search of the property ).
However, it's not looking good, is it.
I have been hoping that Helen has gone off the radar by taking refuge in a friend's house somewhere, or a rented place and has not been reading or listening to the news. But the time line seems too long now, it's almost 2 weeks.

I haven't followed this case but ca to catch up when I heard that a body had been found in the grounds of he house.

24 posts into this thread WSers were already thinking better than the polic it seems. I know I have a lot still to read but I was amazed to see this right on page 1. Well done Alyce

 

[faybradshaw]

I wonder if their non comment is ;

to cover themselves from criticism of not finding them earlier
to be respectful to the family as the general public really does not need to know this detail
to assist the prosecution for the trial ( if there is no guilty plea and instinct tells me there wont be )

To assist the prosecution in the trial. I highly commend the police for all their hard work, right from the start from when Helen went missing. How could he not plead guilty with the evidence in his own back yard!

 

[Alyce]

To assist the prosecution in the trial. I highly commend the police for all their hard work, right from the start from when Helen went missing. How could he not plead guilty with the evidence in his own back yard!

Whilst I agree with you, that you would expect him to plead guilty with the evidence so compelling - nothing surprises me about how people will plead not guilty when the police have everything but a photo of the actual moment of the killing - and sometimes they do even have that. - Sadie Hartley trial, happening right now, is a case in point.

 

[Tortoise]

To assist the prosecution in the trial. I highly commend the police for all their hard work, right from the start from when Helen went missing. How could he not plead guilty with the evidence in his own back yard!

I also think he'll plead not guilty, to murder. I think he'll admit he killed her, but say it was manslaughter. We'll see, but if I'm reading him right I think he won't take responsibility.

I think he was interviewed for the full length of time the police had available before they had to charge him on the evidence they have.

 

[michelle230]

Oh dear - was trying so hard not to get attached to another case after the Butler one as everything else in my life ends up "on hold" lol. Lovely to see some familiar posters from the BB case!
How sad that this has ended up the way it has. After experiencing the terrible situation that Helen had, and working through all the emotions, shock etc, and trying so hard to put her life back together - well - what a horrible twist in the tale of her journey to recovery. Life is truly random and unfair.
This partner - he sends shivers down my spine. His wife died suddenly and unexpectedly - I know we shouldn`t jump to conclusions but it is just too co-incidental. I have no doubt that this sudden death will be re-examined with greatly renewed interest.
I momentarily faltered in my suspicions after reading the comments made by his wife`s family. It is shockingly fascinating that everyone - but especially his wife`s family - have spoken so well of him and of his character. Frightening indeed how people can hide the darkness of their being so very, very well. I think this is what sets human beings apart from other living creatures.
His wife`s family must be in deep shock and wondering.......
Michelle

 

[Alyce]

Tortoise - you ( and Milly ) have read him and this case correctly since the beginning -so I am sure you will be right again.

It will be a last minute manslaughter plea and of course won't be his fault at all.

 

[neteditor]

I haven't followed this case but ca to catch up when I heard that a body had been found in the grounds of he house.

24 posts into this thread WSers were already thinking better than the polic it seems. I know I have a lot still to read but I was amazed to see this right on page 1. Well done Alyce

The difficulty the police face is they can't just wade in digging up people's gardens unless and until they have very good evidence to suggest they will find something. They are not allowed to go on fishing expeditions. Sure as grass is green the police suspected IS from day 1 (or day 4 given that's how long he stalled to report her missing).

They can interview anyone voluntarily but they can't force that person to remain in interview unless they place them under arrest and they have to have enough evidence to justify an arrest. We can only presume permission to search the house and grounds thoroughly was not given by IS. They had to arrest him to be able to do the thorough searches.

We can only assume that IS covered his backside sufficiently that the police had to wait for some major slip-up, or some key witness evidence to arise, which would place sufficient evidence-based suspicion on IS to arrest him. At this stage we don't know what that evidence was... perhaps the discovery of her handbag not being taken, perhaps the removal of money from her account, maybe it was the way he went on the holiday even though potentially she could arrive home any time (unless you knew different which it looks like he did). I bet the police have been frustrated and champing at the bit for weeks to make this progress. Their hands are tied by law.

 

[neteditor]

I also think he'll plead not guilty, to murder. I think he'll admit he killed her, but say it was manslaughter. We'll see, but if I'm reading him right I think he won't take responsibility.

I think he was interviewed for the full length of time the police had available before they had to charge him on the evidence they have.

This is a tricky one for me. If you accidentally killed your nearest and dearest, why would you cover it up? Wouldn't you call it in and say a terrible thing has happened? Would you only cover it up because you have something to hide? And then there is Boris. To shore up the cover story you also have to cold bloodedly kill an innocent tiny dog? Unless he accidentally ran Boris over and HB flew into a rage and lashed out, with his retaliation going too far? She doesn't sound like the lashing out type from what I have heard. But then neither does he. The first wife is a problem too. To horribly misquote and paraphrase Oscar Wilde: To lose one partner may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness.

 

[Tortoise]

Oh dear - was trying so hard not to get attached to another case after the Butler one as everything else in my life ends up "on hold" lol. Lovely to see some familiar posters from the BB case!
How sad that this has ended up the way it has. After experiencing the terrible situation that Helen had, and working through all the emotions, shock etc, and trying so hard to put her life back together - well - what a horrible twist in the tale of her journey to recovery. Life is truly random and unfair.
This partner - he sends shivers down my spine. His wife died suddenly and unexpectedly - I know we shouldn`t jump to conclusions but it is just too co-incidental. I have no doubt that this sudden death will be re-examined with greatly renewed interest.
I momentarily faltered in my suspicions after reading the comments made by his wife`s family. It is shockingly fascinating that everyone - but especially his wife`s family - have spoken so well of him and of his character. Frightening indeed how people can hide the darkness of their being so very, very well. I think this is what sets human beings apart from other living creatures.
His wife`s family must be in deep shock and wondering.......
Michelle

Hey! Michelle. Good to see you.

I agree, too coincidental for my liking too, and fascinating to have had those family reactions. I always think they are a cover, so I want to know what is beneath it. I don't think 55 year olds get to this place without some previous form.

 

[Tortoise]

Found in the septic tank!

Fiance of author Helen Bailey appears in court charged with her murder as it emerges her body was found with that of her dog in the family's septic tank

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...rden-three-months-vanished.html#ixzz4EbJNjniC

It comes after neighbours of Helen Bailey claimed her body was discovered in a hidden underground cesspit in the grounds of her home.

Nicki McGrath's mother lives next door to the author and was very friendly with the previous home owner, who told them about a pit under the garage.
The pair were on holiday when they heard about her search underway at the property, so came home early.
She asked detectives on Thursday whether they had drained a 'well' in the property which the previous owner had joked was the 'one place to hide a body'.
While the officers initially told her they couldn't tell her anything, she claims a detective visited her on Friday to ask about the pit, and just hours later the body was found.
Speaking today, Ms McGrath said: 'Mum and I came over on Wednesday evening to see what time the generator [being used by police] would be turned off and we were told it was probably going to 1am, then we'll be turning it on again at 6am but we'll be gone by Friday.
'We were just leaving and I said "this might sound stupid, but I wouldn't be happy with myself if I walked out of this gate and didn't tell you guys about something, but I just want to ask, have you drained the well?"
'The first guy said to me he couldn't say anything so I said we knew the guy who used to own this house very well, and he had often joked that if there was one place to hide a body in his premises, he knew the ideal place
'He used to refer to it as the well.'
Nicki said a senior officer visited them on Friday and added: 'We told him about what we knew and he asked if we had details of the former owner.
'So mum got on the phone to him straight away and the detective asked him about the cesspit.
'It turned out the 'cesspit' they had actually been draining was the overflow so they hadn't actually found the [real] cesspit.
'So once they found the cesspit they got the fire brigade in, got a grappler and they found the body straight away.'