Found Deceased UK - Lindsay Birbeck, 47, Accrington, 12 Aug 2019 *Arrest* #3

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12:15
Weightlifting section
Lauren Henson said she remembers see two males, one younger and one older, at her gym in the weightlifting section.

She said the males ‘stood out’ because of the ‘clothes they were wearing’.

She said the younger male was ‘always in the weightlifting area’ and in the running area.

She said: “What I took note is he was such a slim lad and all the other people in that area, they looked like they have been going for a long time.

“They look like they know what they are doing and look like regulars at the gym.

“The lad I saw didn’t have that look about him. He didn’t look like he was a regular gym person.

“The weights he was lifting was larger than I imagine that person could life.”

Lindsay Birbeck murder trial at Preston Crown Court - updates
 
I agree Doris - I am the same if out walking alone, always checking who is around me, particularly if I'm in a park or common area with trees, bushes, places where someone could hide.
Also I don't have an issue with her age guess - from the little I have seen of the defendant in those bin pics I would put him older than 16. And I have the benefit of a pic that I can look at again and again to assess his age, she only had a few glimpses, some of them side on.
Same with the height. If she was feeling a bit wary and apprehensive, she is not going to be accurately working out exactly how tall he is.
I think her evidence about him pulling up as though he had been running is quite significant. To me, that says he was running to get closer to her, but stopped when he realised she was aware of him.

None of the above means it was definitely the defendant of course but I think her evidence is fairly good, despite the Defence QC attempt to discredit it ( which he has done very well ).

I was in the coppice on the 19th August and I remember feeling very uneasy about the place. It was the first time I'd been there in years and me and my friend went and she was showing me around ect and she said about how u could easily be lost or fall ect. I remember thinking this place is huge and very isolated as well. The tree line where I think she means is I'm sure where Lindsay's coat was..not 100% tho. It's very isolated there. If I was the lady I'd feel uneasy as well if suddenly this lad is really close to u when before he was quite far away. I do hope this next witness is someone who's seen the lad to.
 
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12:18
Next witness is Anthony Dewhurst
Lauren Henson’s evidence has now concluded and the next prosecution witness is Anthony Dewhurst.

He told the jury he also attended the same gym in August last year.

He has confirmed that the male he saw on a police CCTV appeal was the same person who attended the gym.

Lindsay Birbeck murder trial at Preston Crown Court - updates
 
12:23
Anthony Dewhurst saw male pulling wheelie bin
Prosecutor David McLachlan QC is asking Mr Dewhurst about him then seeing a male pulling a wheelie bin on Burnley Road in Accrington. on August 12, 2019.

Mr Dewhurst told the jury: “It’s not an every day occurrence. I thought it was an odd thing to see. “

The witness said he believed the bin was empty because it was making a ‘rattling noise’ and ‘didn’t seem to have any weight in it at all’.

Lindsay Birbeck murder trial at Preston Crown Court - updates
 
12:28
Forensic archaeological investigation
Alison Baldry explains that she attended Accrington Cemetery on August 25, 2019 - the day after Lindsay Birbeck’s body was found.

She said she was tasked with carrying out a forensic archaeological investigation of a potential clandestine burial.

This involved recording, excavating and recovering any remains.

Lindsay Birbeck murder trial at Preston Crown Court - updates
 
12:33
Dr Baldry's findings
Dr Baldry said a naked female was found wrapped in two plastic bags.

She said the ‘deposition site’ had not been recently dug and may have been a tree hole based on its irregular shape.

The jury were told that due to on-going works in the cemetery the feature may have been man made.

Dr Baldry said it was unlikely to have been dug as a ‘premeditated clandestine burial’.

Lindsay Birbeck murder trial at Preston Crown Court - updates
 
12:15
Weightlifting section
Lauren Henson said she remembers see two males, one younger and one older, at her gym in the weightlifting section.

She said the males ‘stood out’ because of the ‘clothes they were wearing’.

She said the younger male was ‘always in the weightlifting area’ and in the running area.

She said: “What I took note is he was such a slim lad and all the other people in that area, they looked like they have been going for a long time.

“They look like they know what they are doing and look like regulars at the gym.

“The lad I saw didn’t have that look about him. He didn’t look like he was a regular gym person.

“The weights he was lifting was larger than I imagine that person could life.”

Lindsay Birbeck murder trial at Preston Crown Court - updates

What she’ll be referring to regarding their clothing at the gym is gypsies locally can be known to go to the gym in jeans, shoes and a vest for whatever reason. Seen it hundreds of times
 
Witness Lauren Henson is being sworn-in.

Mr McLachlan asks Miss Henson regarding a gym she visits regularly.

Mr McLachlan asks her about a weight-lifting section of the gym.

He asks her if she noticed an older man with a younger man, she said yes.

She said "they were there more or less every time i was there.

"But I could not say every time as I did not take much notice."

Mr McLachlan asked if they stood out.

Miss Henson said they were wearing clothes that were not worn by other people at the gym.

She said the younger male did not look like the regulars at the gym.

In regard to the weights, she said he was lifting weights heavier than someone of his build would normally lift.

Cross examination by Mr Fenhalls.

He asked if the gym had strict dress rules.

Miss Henson said she was not sure about the rules.

Mr Fenhalls said after speaking to the police, Miss Henson gave a description of the younger man.

He said: "you said he was wearing scruffy clothes" and was wearing a brown belt.
Mr Fenhalls asks if she knew what the younger male was lifting.

Miss Henson said she did not know exactly what weights he was lifting.

No more questions are to be asked to Miss Henson and she has left the court.



Another witness has been sworn in, Anthony Dewhurst.

He has been asked by the prosecution if he attends the gym and had seen the two men in the gym.

He said yes.

The prosecution asks if the man he's seen on a police CCTV footage appeal is the same man he saw at the gym, he said yes.

When asked by the prosecution about seeing a man with a wheelie bin on Burnley Road on August 12, Mr Dewhurst said he thought it was odd to see a man pulling a wheelie bin up the road in broad daylight.

When asked about the weight of the bin, he said: "From what I could tell I thought it was empty.

"From the noise and the rattling, the way it was bouncing, it did not seem to have any weight in it."

After a brief question from Mr Fenhall, no more questions are asked to Mr Dewhurst and he has left the court.

DAY FIVE: Lindsay Birbeck trial continues
 
12:43
Police search details
The jury are now being read a statement from a police officer and it includes details about the search for Lindsay Birbeck and resources used.

The search fully ended on October 9, 2019 and no other items of her property were found despite ‘extensive’ efforts.

Lindsay Birbeck murder trial at Preston Crown Court - updates
 
A statement from crime scene investigator Alison Baldry is being read out.

She was tasked with attending the area where a potential body had been found in the cemetery and take part in a forensic archaeological investigation of a potential clandestine burial.

This involved recording, excavating and recovering any remains that were found.

She said a naked female body was found wrapped in one large plastic bag and one smaller one.

The jury heard from the statement, she said the ‘deposition site’ had not been recently dug and may have been a hole of a tree due to its irregular shape.

In the statement Dr Baldry said it was unlikely to have been dug as a ‘premeditated clandestine burial’, the jury heard.

DAY FIVE: Lindsay Birbeck trial continues
 
Another statement was read out to the jury from a police officer.

He explained the resources used during a search on August 24.

He explained the body found at the deposition site was that of missing Lindsay Birbeck.

The site was treated as a crime scene.

The jury heard the railway area and line near the cemetery was searched by British Transport Police officers.

None of Lindsay's items were recovered apart from her Scetchers that were found in a nearby skip.

Other searches conducted,until October 9, 2019, in places of interest did not find any of Mrs Birbeck's missing items, despite thorough investigations being carried out by specalist staff - the statement read.

DAY FIVE: Lindsay Birbeck trial continues
 
This is the reporting from Lancashire Telegraph - doesn't seem too different from Lancs Live today, but worth having just in case.


DS David Bowler is now in the witness stand.

The prosecution has read out agreed facts to the jury, which show the defendant voluntarily attend Greenbank Police Station in Blackburn on August 27 when he was informed he was being arrested on suspicion of Lindsay Birkbeck's murder.

DAY FIVE: Lindsay Birbeck trial continues
 
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