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

[Alyce]

So i wonder where the last phone ping was?

Or do we think he came back?

Helen's last phone ping was on Saturday April 16, at the cottage in Broadstairs. IS was there at that time, sending a text to Helen's phone and Helen's phone pinged off the wifi in her cottage. Mr Computer Expert clearly didnt realise this would happen.

ISs timetable for Monday April 11 - we only have one confirmed timing for him, which is at the Surgery from 2.54pm to 3.07 pm.
Other places he went to on that day - but that we do not have timings for - are;
The refuse tip - 4 mins drive from the house
The Solicitors - 5 mins from the house, but in opposite direction to the tip
The hairdressers - location unknown
Bowling Competition in Cambridge - evening - 7pm ?
Chinese Takeaway in Royston - 9pm ish

 

[Tortoise]

Helen's last phone ping was on Saturday April 16, at the cottage in Broadstairs. IS was there at that time, sending a text to Helen's phone and Helen's phone pinged off the wifi in her cottage. Mr Computer Expert clearly didnt realise this would happen.

ISs timetable for Monday April 11 - we only have one confirmed timing for him, which is at the Surgery from 2.54pm to 3.07 pm.
Other places he went to on that day - but that we do not have timings for - are;
The refuse tip - 4 mins drive from the house
The Solicitors - 5 mins from the house, but in opposite direction to the tip
The hairdressers - location unknown
Bowling Competition in Cambridge - evening - 7pm ?
Chinese Takeaway in Royston - 9pm ish

There was also this information about his phone activity on day 1 of the trial -

[h=3]Stewart's phone activity[/h][FONT=&quot]On April 11, Stewart’s phone was inactive between 11.43am and 12.59pm - as well as 4.48pm and 10.02pm. He sent a text this day of ‘’ to Helen’s phone. In a separate text he sends, he says: “I’m really worried about you, you’re not in Broadstairs, please let us know you’re OK, everyone seems worried.”[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Stewart was asked at an early stage to allow police access to his phone, but he didn’t want to relinquish this to police because he said this is how Helen would contact him. Arrangements were put in place for him to have a new handset, so he could hand his existing phone over, but he claimed to have lost it and his phone was never provided to the police. He said Helen’s mobile phone had never been found.[/FONT]

 

[Alyce]

I don't understand how these things work, not having a mobile phone myself. It connected to the router in Broadstairs on 16th April when IS was there. What I don't understand is why it did that but didn't connect to the one in Royston after 11th April. I've heard they are supposed to be smart .

Good point......

I can only think that he had put Helen's phone into his car at Royston to keep it safely hidden. Left in the house, he ran the risk ( small, but still a risk ) of someone accidentally finding it.....being in the car would most likely have put it outside the range of the home wifi.
In the small cottage, he would have been within range of the router where ever he stood.


eta - just remembered also from Jamie Ss evidence, he said that they searched the house to see if they could notice anything missing, such as clothing items of Helen's .......so even more reason for IS to keep the phone in his car as his sons might be looking in areas they wouldnt normally go into.

 

[snoopydog]

Reading all this, I just can't believe what an utter dummy this man is.

 

[mrjitty]

I don't understand how these things work, not having a mobile phone myself. It connected to the router in Broadstairs on 16th April when IS was there. What I don't understand is why it did that but didn't connect to the one in Royston after 11th April. I've heard they are supposed to be smart .

So the short version is, when powered on, the phone "shakes hands" with the local cell tower - this is basically a protocol that tells the phone network where the mobile phone is, and to allow the network to allocate resources on that tower to that phone. Periodically they ping each other to say "are you still there". The phone will do this unless it is switched off, or in airplane mode.

Similarly when the phone is powered off, the phone says "goodbye" to the local tower. This means the network knows where the phone was last seen, and also knows not to allocate tower resource to that phone anymore.

So basically if the phone was switched off at the house, it would say goodbye to the local tower for the house.

But if IS had it with him at that time, you would see it switch towers and say goodbye on a different tower.

The router is different as that is a WIFI connection.

Presumably when the phone connected to the router, it should also have pinged the local tower, unless he somehow had the antenna turned off.

 

[pinklilies]

Helen's last phone ping was on Saturday April 16, at the cottage in Broadstairs. IS was there at that time, sending a text to Helen's phone and Helen's phone pinged off the wifi in her cottage. Mr Computer Expert clearly didnt realise this would happen.

ISs timetable for Monday April 11 - we only have one confirmed timing for him, which is at the Surgery from 2.54pm to 3.07 pm.
Other places he went to on that day - but that we do not have timings for - are;
The refuse tip - 4 mins drive from the house
The Solicitors - 5 mins from the house, but in opposite direction to the tip
The hairdressers - location unknown
Bowling Competition in Cambridge - evening - 7pm ?
Chinese Takeaway in Royston - 9pm ish

Morrisons too at some stage in the afternoon.

“Normal goodbye, she stood at window holding the dog. Returned around 5pm, drove to Royston, solicitor, Morrisons.

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/incoming/live-helen-bailey-murder-trial-12464906

 

[Alyce]

Morrisons too at some stage in the afternoon.

“Normal goodbye, she stood at window holding the dog. Returned around 5pm, drove to Royston, solicitor, Morrisons.

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/incoming/live-helen-bailey-murder-trial-12464906

Had forgotten that one ! no end to his busy schedule on that day

( Morrisons is close to the solicitors office )

 

[mrjitty]

Good point......

I can only think that he had put Helen's phone into his car at Royston to keep it safely hidden. Left in the house, he ran the risk ( small, but still a risk ) of someone accidentally finding it.....being in the car would most likely have put it outside the range of the home wifi.
In the small cottage, he would have been within range of the router where ever he stood.


eta - just remembered also from Jamie Ss evidence, he said that they searched the house to see if they could notice anything missing, such as clothing items of Helen's .......so even more reason for IS to keep the phone in his car as his sons might be looking in areas they wouldnt normally go into.

It must have been turned off - until he turned it on again at the cottage

 

[Alyce]

So the short version is, when powered on, the phone "shakes hands" with the local cell tower - this is basically a protocol that tells the phone network where the mobile phone is, and to allow the network to allocate resources on that tower to that phone. Periodically they ping each other to say "are you still there". The phone will do this unless it is switched off, or in airplane mode.

Similarly when the phone is powered off, the phone says "goodbye" to the local tower. This means the network knows where the phone was last seen, and also knows not to allocate tower resource to that phone anymore.

So basically if the phone was switched off at the house, it would say goodbye to the local tower for the house.

But if IS had it with him at that time, you would see it switch towers and say goodbye on a different tower.

The router is different as that is a WIFI connection.

Presumably when the phone connected to the router, it should also have pinged the local tower, unless he somehow had the antenna turned off.

Mr Jitty, I think you and my OH must have been separated at birth - reading your explanation is just like listening to him explaining stuff to me with the hand shakes etc

 

[snoopydog]

The router is different as that is a WIFI connection.

Presumably when the phone connected to the router, it should also have pinged the local tower, unless he somehow had the antenna turned off.

I'm wondering if he's just turned the phone's cellular roaming off (like when you go on holiday abroad) and left it switched on then only realised when he got to broadstairs that the phone had connected to the wifi then obviously panicked...

Although this would then mean he'd have had to make the phone forget the home wifi network or else it would have been connected to it still.

I notice that the other phone that he said nick and joe gave him to use hasn't turned up along with his own and Helen's, seems he's a bit careless with phones.....

 

[ColourPurple]

Didn't even know her eye colour or date of birth, but knew how much money was in her bank account.

That stuck with me too.

When you think she's supposed to be the person he loves and wants to marry and spend the rest of his life with(or 30 years) you would think he would know her height, eye colour and date of birth. Did he never look into her eyes lovingly or couldn't he see past the pound signs in his?

 

[Alyce]

Court back in session

Jurors are now being called back in after lunch. Jurors are being told that the case is not sitting tomorrow afternoon, and will finish at 1pm tomorrow. The case is also not sitting on Thursday afternoon, and will finish at the same time.

 

[Alyce]

Next witness: Dc Kerry Burrows

The next witness is Dc Kerry Burrows, the court is told. Dc Burrows also visited the Royston home on April 15, 2016, and made notes while he was there.


http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/cambridge-news/live-helen-bailey-murder-trial-12464906

 

[mrjitty]

I'm wondering if he's just turned the phone's cellular roaming off (like when you go on holiday abroad) and left it switched on then only realised when he got to broadstairs that the phone had connected to the wifi then obviously panicked...

Although this would then mean he'd have had to make the phone forget the home wifi network or else it would have been connected to it still.

I notice that the other phone that he said nick and joe gave him to use hasn't turned up along with his own and Helen's, seems he's a bit careless with phones.....

Or maybe there is no cell coverage at the cottage? (seems unlikely)

 

[Alyce]

Stewart 'seemed to pay attention to movement of police' in house search

Dc Burrows said: “We were alerted to a missing person’s enquiry. When I arrived another colleague was talking to Stewart in the hallway.

“Stewart was calm and quiet in demeanour - and was softly spoken.

“He went into the house’s front lounge together with Sergeant Gilbertson.

“Stewart explained that he had recently had some surgery and was in some discomfort. He was co-operative and answered all questions.”

Dc Burrows said Stewart told him how he and Helen met, said they had been engaged for three years, and things were good between them.

Stewart seemed to pay attention to the movement of police during the conversation, he said.

Dc Burrows said Stewart spoke about his movements on Monday, April 11. He said Helen had gone shopping and had returned home stressed.

“Stewart said after returning home himself, he discovered a note from Helen. He said he had possibly accidentally thrown the note away.

“Stewart said he was unconcerned about Helen until April 13, when he phoned her brother John.

“He described Helen as fiercely private and anxious. He appeared relaxed throughout his conversation with me.

“I got to the house about 9-9.30pm on April 15, and was there from 45 minutes to an hour.”

That’s the end of DC Burrows’ evidence.

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/cambridge-news/live-helen-bailey-murder-trial-12464906

 

[Alyce]

said they had been engaged for three years,


Really ??

 

[Alyce]

when he phoned her brother John.

I thought John Bailey's evidence was that he phoned IS

 

[Alyce]

Next witness: Detective sergeant Anthony McColl

Ds McColl said he went with other officers to the house in Royston. He said he spoke to Stewart, who was at the house.

“Stewart said he could have left the note from Helen on the table and could have taken it to the dump as he had recently got rid of a lot of rubbish.

“He said Helen would be angry if she knew he had reported her missing.

“He told me Helen had properties in Gateshead and Broadstairs.

“He [Stewart] said Helen had not been on any medication but had been very anxious recently.”

That’s the end of his evidence.


http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/cambridge-news/live-helen-bailey-murder-trial-12464906

 

[Alyce]

Next witness: Karen Cotter, a friend of Ms Bailey

The next witness is Karen Cotter, who had known Helen for five years. Mrs Cotter said she first met Helen because she was working as a personal assistant of a man called Tony Hurley.

“Helen and her previous husband had a pension scheme and were clients of Tony Hurley’s.

“Since Helen’s previous husband died I developed a more personal relationship with Helen.

“She would be invited to and would come to functions and lunches. Most of our communications were by email. “I was also friends with her on Facebook. I last saw her on December 4, 2014, at a Christmas party, which she attended with her partner Mr Stewart.

“My last email correspondence with her was on April 7, 2016.” She appeared in very good spirits.”


http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/cambridge-news/live-helen-bailey-murder-trial-12464906

 

[Alyce]

She learned of Ms Bailey's disappearance from Facebook

“Helen is quite excitable, she can be over anxious at times but she is a very, very nice lady, very kind and very thoughtful.

“She said one day she might get married to Stewart.

“I first became aware that Helen was missing because I saw a post on her Facebook page from Stewart, saying she was missing. That was on Sunday, April 17.

“I emailed Helen and said I hoped what I saw on Facebook was some sort of hoax or scam, and that I hoped she’d get in touch.

“I text Stewart to say if there was anything I could do to help, please let me know. I told him when I last spoke to Helen.”


http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/cambridge-news/live-helen-bailey-murder-trial-12464906