GUILTY UK - Helen Bailey, 51, Royston, 11 April 2016 #2

[Alyce]

I see your point but equally his family have presumably read her book and are aware of everything in it. I do think a big part of this case is "how did he fool everyone?" and I don't think it's unreasonable to speculate a little on how an incisive and discerning woman was so taken in by him.

I do feel terribly for IS's son Jamie - was he the one who has been visiting him or the other one? What a nightmare to open the door to police coming to arrest your dad for a domestic murder.

Was IS bailed after his initial arrest? I suppose that will be covered this afternoon.

Yes, he was bailed on the Tuesday evening ( July 12 ) and then re arrested on the Friday July 15
Search carried on at the house all week, so he would have been staying elsewhere

 

[mrazda71]

It's so utterly obvious that Ian is guilty that it's hardly worth the effort that typing takes to go over the details that no one believes, like the note, the concern etc

I found it quite touching that Ian showed emotion when his wife's ashes were mentioned ... I'm fascinated by who Ian the person is, who he once was and how he became the man who murdered his fiance and thought he could get away with it.

 

[Alyce]

I cant see Milly on line here so I will put up the court feed ...but bear with me, my pc is playing games today

 

[Alyce]

Court back in session

The court is now resuming after lunch. Pc Hancock is coming back to the witness box. He said on the day of Stewart’s arrest, he doesn’t recall hearing Stewart tell his son, Jamie, that the garage doors are open.
He said on the day of Stewart’s arrest, he didn’t look to see if the garage doors were open or not. That’s the end of his evidence.

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/new...murder-trial-week-12503618?service=responsive

 

[mrazda71]

I cant see Milly on line here so I will put up the court feed ...but bear with me, my pc is playing games today

Does it need percussive maintenance Alyce? [emoji6] [emoji2]

 

[Legally Bland]

11:28
Stewart said he had suicidal thoughts

Sarah Touhey said she then spoke to Stewart again via the telephone on Monday, May 9.

“We went over his weekend, he said he’d had a difficult few days, he’d been to Broadstairs and had thoughts of jumping off the cliffs while he was down there.

“He then said he no longer felt that way and was feeling safe.

“I was concerned when I met him face to face that his behaviour had seemed so changeable.

“A colleague of mine rang Stewart again on May 10 as I was concerned.

“Stewart said he was still in Broadstairs but he was fine.”

Assuming he actually went, I'd be expecting to hear how the stress of searching for Helen in Broadstairs was contributing to his problems.

Agree with others that he was trying to use this as a sick-note from police interviews. Also think he was using her to justify his holiday to Palma.

 

[MillyM]

14:12
Court back in session

The court is now resuming after lunch. Pc Hancock is coming back to the witness box. He said on the day of Stewart’s arrest, he doesn’t recall hearing Stewart tell his son, Jamie, that the garage doors are open. He said on the day of Stewart’s arrest, he didn’t look to see if the garage doors were open or not. That’s the end of his evidence.

 

[MillyM]

If someone wants to continue?

 

[cottonweaver]

14:12
Court back in session

The court is now resuming after lunch. Pc Hancock is coming back to the witness box. He said on the day of Stewart’s arrest, he doesn’t recall hearing Stewart tell his son, Jamie, that the garage doors are open. He said on the day of Stewart’s arrest, he didn’t look to see if the garage doors were open or not. That’s the end of his evidence.

These body cams are a boon aren't they. So we have that recorded on cam :
Chloe Keedy ‏@ChloeKeedyITV 1h1 hour ago
More
Stewart can be heard asking 'have you found her? Where is she?' and then saying 'the garage door's open'

 

[Alyce]

If someone wants to continue?

No probs, I'll do it.... nothing new coming thru at the mo

 

[Alyce]

These body cams are a boon aren't they. So we have that recorded on cam :
Chloe Keedy ‏@ChloeKeedyITV 1h1 hour ago
More
Stewart can be heard asking 'have you found her? Where is she?' and then saying 'the garage door's open'

I think they're brilliant - and even in the car en route to the station, so it keeps complete continuity of who says what...

 

[Alyce]

14:12
Court back in session

The court is now resuming after lunch. Pc Hancock is coming back to the witness box. He said on the day of Stewart’s arrest, he doesn’t recall hearing Stewart tell his son, Jamie, that the garage doors are open. He said on the day of Stewart’s arrest, he didn’t look to see if the garage doors were open or not. That’s the end of his evidence.

that puts a different spin on it - I thought IS was just saying the doors were open and accidentially revealing his thoughts !

but was he actually trying to get Jamie to close ( and lock ) the doors ? in the hope of ensuring the police would not search there.
Perhaps he did not realise, at that point, that the police were doing a full authorised search and would go everywhere

 

[Alyce]

Next witness: Jenny Winterbottom - daughter of Ms Bailey's late husband, John Sinfield

The next witness is Jenny Winterbottom, the daughter of John Sinfield - Helen Bailey’s former husband who drowned while on holiday in 2011. Jenny said when she was 18 or 19 her father and Helen got married.

“I had a good relationship with Helen, who was only about 11 years older than me. She was good fun and she made dad happy.”

She said John Sinfield bought Helen another dachshund, Boris, after her dog passed away.

Jenny said after her dad passed away in 2011 and she knew Helen started a blog to help with her grieving process.

“Helen not only attended bereavement meetings but she also used to be a speaker at conferences.

“I was aware she met Stewart, who was himself a widower as his wife had died.”

Jenny said she knew in due course that Helen and Stewart bought a house together in Royston.


http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/new...murder-trial-week-12503618?service=responsive

 

[Alyce]

Helen had previously booked herself into a hotel in London 'but she would always tell people about that'

In a statement made on April 27 last year, when Helen was missing, Jenny said there had been significant occasions when Helen had booked herself into a hotel in London, but that she would always tell people about that.

“April 11 didn’t seem a significant date in her life when she would have gone out celebrating anything.

“She spoke to me about finding living with Stewart’s sons a change, as she didn’t have any children of her own.

“I last saw Helen on December 27, 2015. We’d all gone for dinner at a relatives.

“Since that meeting I exchanged texts with her and I was aware Stewart had been ill, and that placed her under stress.


http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/new...murder-trial-week-12503618?service=responsive

 

[cottonweaver]

Nice to hear this again "She was good fun and she made dad happy” after what we've heard lately from various witnesses.

and I think all us have picked this undercurrent up since trial start:
"“She spoke to me about finding living with Stewart’s sons a change, as she didn’t have any children of her own."

assuming that Jenny had not been introduced to IS either, unless we hear differently in a moment .

 

[Alyce]

I couldn't think of anything that would upset her enough to disappear'

Jenny said she texted Helen on April 14 last year to say she had landed on her return from holiday.

“It was very unusual that she didn’t respond to that”, she added.

“I told police I couldn’t think of anything that would upset her enough for her to disappear.

“I know Helen and Stewart were planning to go away.”

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/new...murder-trial-week-12503618?service=responsive

 

[Alyce]

Nice to hear this again "She was good fun and she made dad happy” after what we've heard lately from various witnesses.

and I think all us have picked this undercurrent up since trial start:
"“She spoke to me about finding living with Stewart’s sons a change, as she didn’t have any children of her own."

Yes, I know we only get snippets but this is the first * child* so to speak who has actually said something nice about Helen.

 

[cottonweaver]

Yes, I know we only get snippets but this is the first * child* so to speak who has actually said something nice about Helen.

Indeed - you said what I was suppressing!
Get the feeling that HB was the kind of women who got on well with young people though, that sense of fun, humour and openness to new ideas etc.


"That’s the end of Jenny Winterbottom’s evidence."

 

[Alyce]

Ashish Joshi Verified account ‏@ashishskynews 2m2 minutes ago

DC Suzanne Seagrave an officer who attended Helen Bailey's house on the morning Stewart was arrested is now giving evidence

Stewart said when arrested "Why? Why? Have you found Helen" when arrested for her murder, court is told.

 

[DollyDiamond]

Indeed - you said what I was suppressing!
Get the feeling that HB was the kind of women who got on well young people though, that sense of fun, humour and openness to new ideas etc.

Yes I think it speaks volumes about Helen that she remained on such good terms with her stepdaughter after the death of JS. One did not get the impression IS' sons were especially fond of her when they gave evidence (one of them apparently did not really notice that she and Boris were absent when he returned home on the night of her murder after bowling, and sat and ate a takeaway with his father without enquiring as to her whereabouts!). Perhaps I am being unfair, but I was left with the feeling she was the provider of a comfortable house and home cooked meals but was somewhat taken for granted by IS' sons, as they came and went to cadets, bowling, had girlfriends to stay etc.