UK UK - Sarah Wellgreen, 46, Kent, 9 Oct 2018

[HayLouise]

Continued:


The jury was told they would walk between the first two, identified as Blue Firs and Orchard House, as they were only a short distance apart.

The minibuses left just before 11.20am and were accompanied on their way by police in three unmarked vehicles and one patrol car.

For the next hour they made their way along Church Road and the outskirts of New Ash Green, into the narrow, winding lanes of Hartley Hill, Hartley Bottom Road, past an area known as Cuckold Corner, onto Pease Hill and then towards Stansted along Plaxdale Green Road.

Having viewed the first two properties, the remaining six locations where it is alleged Lacomba's vehicle was spotted were pointed out.

At the eighth, identified as Littlefields, the prosecutor said: "The prosecution say the defendant's car was seen here at 2.20am and 52 secs on October 10, about nine seconds after the last sighting.

"However, the prosecution do not know whether the vehicle captured at 2.20 am and 52 secs carried on down this road, Plaxdale Green Road, on the night of October 9 and 10 or if it turned off somewhere."

She explained that the road led to the Hilltop Hotel and a junction 'leading in several different directions."

It was at the hotel that the minibuses turned around and headed back along the same route, arriving back at Bazes Shaw just before 12.30pm and then returning to Woolwich in south east London.

The trial continues tomorrow (October 3).

Jury visits Sarah Wellgreen’s home where she spent her ‘last moments alive’

 

[Noseyjosie]

This may help with identifying the locations in Bazes Shaw

Interesting Information for Bazes Shaw, New Ash Green, Longfield, DA3 8QZ Postcode

 

[HayLouise]

18:17KEY EVENT

Jury visits Sarah Wellgreen’s home where she spent her ‘last moments alive’



Jurors, the judge and barristers were taken to New Ash Green today (October 2) on two blacked out minibuses.

They visited 22 Bazes Shaw - the house shared by Ben Lacomba and Sarah Wellgreen.

The prosecution showed them key locations in the trial before taking them down the country lane route that they allege Ben Lacomba drove his taxi along in the early hours of October 10.

Full story here.

Live updates as Sarah Wellgreen's ex-partner goes on trial accused of her murder

 

[deugirtni]

The prosecution say his Vauxhall Zafira with distinctive All Night Cars logo on the side was captured on eight cameras between 2.13am and 4.27am as he drove away from his home, out into Hartley Bottom, towards the village of Stansted, and then back home.

But in that time there was a two-hour gap in which his whereabouts were unknown, it is alleged.
....

Lacomba was not required to attend.
......

The group then stood outside number 22 itself but were not shown inside the property, this view having already been provided in photographs as part of their jury bundles.
......

Having then walked back to the entrance of Bazes Shaw, Judge Kinch asked the jury to write down any questions they had at this stage of the view.

One note asked about Lacomba's height and the jury was told they would hear this, as well as other dimensions such as fence height, at a later stage in proceedings.
......

Miss Morgan told them: "We will stop at each of the eight CCTV cameras which the prosecution say catch the defendant's car on that route in both directions, so out and in.

"At each stop we will get off the bus and the name of the location will be announced."

The jury was told they would walk between the first two, identified as Blue Firs and Orchard House, as they were only a short distance apart.

The minibuses left just before 11.20am and were accompanied on their way by police in three unmarked vehicles and one patrol car.

For the next hour they made their way along Church Road and the outskirts of New Ash Green, into the narrow, winding lanes of Hartley Hill, Hartley Bottom Road, past an area known as Cuckold Corner, onto Pease Hill and then towards Stansted along Plaxdale Green Road.
......

At the eighth, identified as Littlefields, the prosecutor said: "The prosecution say the defendant's car was seen here at 2.20am and 52 secs on October 10, about nine seconds after the last sighting.

"However, the prosecution do not know whether the vehicle captured at 2.20 am and 52 secs carried on down this road, Plaxdale Green Road, on the night of October 9 and 10 or if it turned off somewhere."

She explained that the road led to the Hilltop Hotel and a junction 'leading in several different directions."
......
The trial continues tomorrow (October 3).

Jury visits Sarah Wellgreen’s home where she spent her ‘last moments alive’

I am surprised that BL wasn't in attendance (although it would presumably have made the jurors uncomfortable?), because I had understood it was an accused's right to be present during the 'entire' trial, everything that the jury hears.. perhaps no words were spoken?? I suppose that is why the jurors were asked to write any questions down?

Wow, caught on EIGHT cameras! Busted! What was he *thinking*??? Surely he must've realized he'd be passing cameras along the way, especially considering the man was a taxi driver?? And then he says he was asleep in bed all night??

 

[Noseyjosie]

Something that strikes me if you do a Google drive around that area is that there's a dirty great communications mast right near to the A20 which can also be seen from the M26, it's an impressive landmark. If he hated Sarah as much as we assume - and if he spends a lot of time on the road - is it reasonable to think he might have buried her somewhere he could see easily? Would it give him some satisfaction each time he saw it to know he'd "beaten" her - maybe flip the finger as he drove past? The mast is also very close to the area of the last cctv sighting of his journey

 

[Noseyjosie]

Google Maps

Not sure if this will work properly using my kindle but if you look at Hilltop, then down slightly, across the A20, the mast is right next to Arqiva.

 

[HayLouise]

2 October 2019:

Sarah Wellgreen: Murder accused 'dumped missing mum's body'


The former partner of a missing mother-of-five drove his taxi on an isolated route to dispose of her body after killing her, a jury has been told.

Ben Lacomba, 38, of Bazes Shaw, New Ash Green, Kent, is on trial accused of murdering 46-year-old Sarah Wellgreen.

She has not been seen since she disappeared from the home she shared with Mr Lacomba on 10 October 2018.

The jury has been taken to their home and driven along the route he was said to have followed.

[...]

The trial at Woolwich Crown Court continues.

Murder accused 'dumped missing mum's body'

 

[Alyce]

The Crown Court at Woolwich

Thursday 03 October 2019

Court 3 - sitting at 10:00 am


HIS HONOUR JUDGE C KINCH QC HONORARY RECORDER OF GREENWICH




Trial (Part Heard)
T20197107 LACOMBA Ben S 46XY0963118 NKENM CROWN COURT SOUTH UNIT
RES HHJ KINCH QC

 

[Noseyjosie]

Sorry for being a nerd but just to add.....this "mast" is actually the BBC radio transmitter for the South East and is 579 feet tall! - it can be clearly seen for miles around and the top would be lit up like a Christmas tree at night to be visible to aircraft.
Where the road near Hilltop meets A20 there is a bridle path a few yards down on the opposite side of the road, easily wide enough for a car, which leads into the wooded area near the transmitter

Google Maps

Not sure if this will work properly using my kindle but if you look at Hilltop, then down slightly, across the A20, the mast is right next to Arqiva.

 

[Ironside]

Someone mentioned a landfill on BL's route on that (allegedly) fatal night, can anyone tell me what it is called and where it is?

I can't see someone being able to get into a landfill at night and the shovel indicates he buried poor SW but just curious where it is exactly.

 

[HayLouise]

10:51
Trial resumes

Woolwich Crown Court

The trial has resumed at Woolwich Crown Court this morning and Alison Morgan QC, prosecuting, has read the “agreed facts” of the case.

Those are that Sarah Wellgreen was 46 at the time of her disappearance and was working as a beautician, while the accused - Ben Lacomba, who was 38 at the time and is 5ft 6in tall - was working as a taxi driver.

Lacomba drove a red Vauxhall Zafira with ‘All Night Cars’ written on the side of the vehicle, which also had a local authority taxi license plate.

Sarah and Lacomba were former partners and as of October 2018, they were living together at 22 Bazes Shaw, despite no longer being in a relationship, the court hears.

Live updates as Sarah Wellgreen's ex-partner goes on trial accused of her murder

 

[HayLouise]

11:03
Jury to be shown CCTV footage

Police await jurors outside 22 Bazes Shaw, the shared home of Ben Lacomba and Sarah Wellgreen (Image: Jim Bennett)

One of the key officers in the case, Det Sgt Alistair Wharton, is giving evidence this morning and he has explained to jurors that they will be shown CCTV footage from Bazes Shaw and the surrounding areas.

He admits this is “a very small portion of CCTV seized by police as part of investigation”, which now totals 22,000 hours of footage.

Det Sgt Wharton tells the court: “The area of the CCTV footage seizure spans from Dartford to the M25, M20, Brands Hatch and intersection to the M26.

“It was initially within a one-mile radius from 22 Bazes Shaw for CCTV seizure. This was then expanded to a radius of five miles.”

He also explained that CCTV systems “rewrite themselves when the hard drive is full”.

Live updates as Sarah Wellgreen's ex-partner goes on trial accused of her murder

 

[HayLouise]

11:14

Det Sgt explains CCTV footage

Det Sgt Alistair Wharton has explained what each camera on the neighbouring property - 23 Bazes Shaw - was able to capture at the time and reiterates what the jury were shown yesterday when they visited the area. He said:

Footage from 23 Bazes Shaw and the road away from Bazes Shaw was still available for capture by police.

“The camera from the front of 23 Bazes Shaw looks over car park 1 - the camera timestamp is 27 minutes slow.


“The jury were taken from car park 1 through a gap in the wall to the pathway directly outside 23 Bazes Shaw yesterday (October 2).”

The officer explains that the gentleman who used to live at number 23 no longer does and took the CCTV system with him when he moved. Det Sgt Wharton continues:

An alarm on the side of the building now shows where the CCTV camera would have been which covers steps going up, a gap in the wall and the car park.



“Camera four on 23 Bazes Shaw shows the gap in the wall and the area to the side of 22 Bazes Shaw.



“Camera three shows rear of 23 Bazes Shaw and the fence.”

When Lacomba returns home at 5.08pm on October 9, the top of his head is shown on camera 3 passing the fence and lowered gate area.

The jury were taken on two routes to car park 2 yesterday (October 2) from 22 Bazes Shaw. It’s explained that If you stood beneath the height of the fence, you would not be captured by cameras at 23 Bazes Shaw.


Live updates as Sarah Wellgreen's ex-partner goes on trial accused of her murder

 

[Legally Bland]

I'm sure this has probably been posted before, property listing for 22 Bazes Shaw from April 2018:
Property history - 22 Bazes Shaw, New Ash Green, Longfield DA3 8QX - Marketed for sale on 11th Apr 2018 - Zoopla

 

[Alyce]

Sorry for being a nerd but just to add.....this "mast" is actually the BBC radio transmitter for the South East and is 579 feet tall! - it can be clearly seen for miles around and the top would be lit up like a Christmas tree at night to be visible to aircraft.
Where the road near Hilltop meets A20 there is a bridle path a few yards down on the opposite side of the road, easily wide enough for a car, which leads into the wooded area near the transmitter

That's a good find Josie, easy enough for a car and at 2.30am probably little to no traffic.

 

[Alyce]

So is #23 the house to the right as you look at the front view of #22 ? - so the other side of the pathway to CP1 ?

 

[HayLouise]

11:42KEY EVENT

Timeline of events during day of Sarah Wellgreen's disappearance

Thousands of hours of CCTV footage has been analysed by police (Image: Jim Bennett)

The jury is being shown CCTV footage of the last day Sarah Wellgreen was seen on Tuesday, October 9, 2018. Here is a timeline of events on what was seen on camera that day.

• 8.58am: Sarah Wellgreen walks down the path and enters car park 1. She goes straight to her blue 4x4 which she used to carry out business as a beautician. Sarah gets in her car and reverses out.
• 9.01am: Lacomba’s red Vauxhall Zafira returns to car park 1 and parks at the side of 22 Bazes Shaw. He enters the house and his head is visible as he walks along past the side wall.
  
• 9.12am: Lacomba leaves the house, gets back in his car and drives off. (While this footage is played to jurors, it’s explained that officers analysed the condition of Lacomba’s vehicle, in particular the top of the front wheel arch).
• 11.33am: Sarah Wellgreen comes back to the same spot in car park 1. Her head is also visible above the side of the wall.
• 2.57pm: Sarah leaves Bazes Shaw.
• 2.28pm: Lacomba’s vehicle is spotted by ANPR in East Hill, Dartford.
• 4.28pm: Lacomba seen driving again and captured on ANPR in Horley Road in Dartford.
• 5.08pm: Lacomba returns and parks in car park 2. Jurors are shown rear camera footage from 23 Bazes Shaw of Lacomba passing the lowered gate and fence at the rear of 23 Bazes Shaw. (It’s explained that anything above 147cm will be spotted in gap between wooden part of trellis). Marilyn Lacomba - Ben’s mum - had already brought children back to the house.
  
• 7.57pm: Sarah returns home after work to Ben Lacomba and her children. There was no sign of movement towards 22 Bazes Shaw between these times apart from Marilyn leaving the property. Sarah Wellgreen gets out of her car, gets a bike out of the boot and enters her home.

A couple of residents are seen going to their cars in the early hours of the morning of Wednesday, October 10 - described as “early risers” by Alison Morgan QC - but there is no sign of Sarah and no sign of anyone that can’t be accounted for.

Live updates as Sarah Wellgreen's ex-partner goes on trial accused of her murder

 

[HayLouise]

12:21

CCTV cameras ‘switched off’ on night of October 9/10

Ben Lacomba is accused of murdering his ex-partner Sarah Wellgreen (Image: Jim Bennett)

Alison Morgan QC, prosecuting, has explained how the CCTV cameras at 22 Bazes Shaw – Lacomba and Sarah’s home – were “switched off” at 12.12am on Wednesday, October 10 last year.

The court hears how one of the cameras points towards 19 Bazes Shaw and the other points towards the front door of number 22.

It’s heard that there are six cameras on side of 22 Bazes Shaw but footage was not available for October 2018.

Ms Morgan QC explains these cameras would have shown where Sarah parked her car on October 9, the paths going to 19 Bazes Shaw, car park 1, the front door area of 22 Bazes Shaw, a wall along the side of 22 Bazes Shaw and the path, based on examples of footage captured in 2017.

She says the infrared lights emitted by the cameras on 22 Bazes Shaw show whether the system is on or off and that this is captured by cameras at 23 Bazes Shaw but is not visible to the naked eye.

The rear of 22 Bazes Shaw (on left at end of terrace) (Image: Google)


On the night of October 9/10, the infrared lights turn off at 12.12am. This can only be picked up by CCTV cameras at night when they go into “infrared mode”. Footage shown to jurors shows the glare from the infrared lights disappear at 12.12am.

The CCTV system also keeps a record of whether the system itself is on or off.

Cameras were switched off on October 3 from 11.25pm to 1.06am on October 4, on Tuesday, October 9 at 12.54am to 2.30am and on Wednesday, October 10 at 12.12am.

On Thursday, October 11 at 6.07pm when it is dark enough for infrared night mode to be activated on the cameras at 23 Bazes Shaw, the infrared lights from 22 Bazes Shaw cameras are being emitted again.

Cameras at number 22 were turned off again at 11.49pm on October 11 and remained off after police seized it that day.

It’s also explained that photos taken by police on October 16 show a white plug in a plug socket in Lacomba’s bedroom in the loft. One image shows a box titled Location CCTV Unit NM1 - this links to the CCTV cameras at 22 Bazes Shaw.

Live updates as Sarah Wellgreen's ex-partner goes on trial accused of her murder

 

[HayLouise]

13:26
Court breaks for lunch

The court has heard more details about the route Ben Lacomba’s red Vauxhall Zafira allegedly took in the early hours of Wednesday, October 10.

We will bring you more on that shortly.

Meanwhile, proceedings have come to a pause for lunch.

Live updates as Sarah Wellgreen's ex-partner goes on trial accused of her murder

 

[Legally Bland]

DBM.