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

[Legally Bland]

16:37
Lacomba: 'Sarah didn't seem happy despite job offer'
Lacomba tells the court that he was aware of Sarah’s job interview in London on Monday, October 8. He explains his version events of when she returned home that evening. He says:

She came back in the door wearing a smart trouser suit and explained that she managed to get the job.

“She’d been offered a regional sales manager for a beauty products company based in Stockport. She was going to get £45,000 a year and a company car. This was the most I’ve ever known her to have earned.

“I was extremely proud of her. I was happy for her. I know she’d been struggling for money. She was relying on her private clients, her work at the weekend. She even told me she was signing on.

“She said there had been a burglary at Queens Road. Her car had broken down multiple times and each bill was quite a substantial bill. For her to get a job that solved all her problems, I was happy because I knew what a relief it would be to her but she didn’t seem happy.

“Her body language, her demeanour, she didn’t seem happy. She was sort of deflated and not excited.

“My mum was listening with me and for some reason she just wasn’t excited. I said are you not happy about this and she just said ‘yeah’ and shrugged her shoulders. I didn’t really know what to make of that.”​

Lacomba says she had seemed in a “normal mood” on the weekend of October 6 and 7.

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

 

[Legally Bland]

16:47 KEY EVENT
Lacomba describes his version of events on October 9, 2018

Sarah Jane Wellgreen was last seen on October 9 (Image: Source Unknown)

Ben Lacomba is being questioned over his version of events of what happened on Tuesday, October 9, 2018 - the last day that Sarah Wellgreen was seen alive.

He explains that he went to work in the morning of October 9 and that his last job of the day was a drop-off in Sevenoaks at 4.50pm, which is an agreed fact in the case.

“I remember that job because she’s a regular customer and she lives near the Portobello pub in West Kingsdown,” says Lacomba.

From the Portobello, Lacomba says he went up Fawkham Road, north onto Brands Hatch Road and turns onto Rogers Wood Lane through the forest, straight on over the crossroads to Billet Hill - roads he describes as “tiny country lanes” so one vehicle has to “pull over into the wood and mud to let the other car pass”.

This journey typically takes 15 minutes depending on traffic.

Why Lacomba parked in car park 2

Lacomba gets home and parks in car park 2 on the evening of October 9, 2018. Explaining why he did this, he says:

I probably drove into car park 1, saw that it was busy, saw that there was a space next to the house knowing Sarah would be coming home later and drove out to park in car park 2 to leave a space for Sarah.

“That was probably the reason why I parked in car park 2.”​

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

 

[Mrs Marple]

14:51

Break up of relationship in 2014
Snipped by me

Lacomba explains a situation from June 2014:

I was at work one day and Sarah texted me saying ‘you either get out of the house today or I’m taking the kids to Portsmouth’.

“This came as a shock to me so I went home.”

They had an argument and “she storms out” so Lacomba changes the lock “in fear that she’d come back, I’d wake up and the children would be gone”.

She then lives with Shaun Green. Sarah later rented a property in Gravesend and then got a property in Meopham.

In June 2014, Lacomba obtained an order from Dartford County Court preventing Sarah from removing children from the home and another order stating that the children would stay with him. He describes the situation between himself and Wellgreen as “acrimonious” at that time.

BBM. Really?!?! I suppose at that point it seemed that BL could provide more stability. But he goes on to say:

15:22
Lacomba: 'Sarah wanted to get back with me and be a family again'
He says showed his mother the text in “disbelief”. Lacomba says:

She wanted to get back with me and try to be a couple again. It was a 180. My house was on the market. I complied with all existing orders.

“In my mind, she managed to get every decision she wanted in court over the years. To get back with me would mean really what was all that for? That’s why I was so shocked.”​

Lacomba said he was “not in a happy place” as his house was on the market and had lost all the court hearings. He explains that said to her ‘I can’t believe this is what you’re talking about really...'

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

Snipped BBM so which was it then??

15:15
Sarah's new relationship and Bazes Shaw house put up for sale
The court hears how Sarah’s relationship with Shaun Green ends. She then has a brief relationship with another man before meeting Neil James. Neil and Sarah get together in December 2016 and live together in Farnham.

February 2018 an orrder is made that 22 Bazes Shaw is to be put on the market and that the proceeds would be split between Sarah and Lacomba.

I wonder if this is the crux of it. SW left, they kids were with him at one point, she decided to return but changed her mind. SW interpreted the order to mean she could offer him half of the equity and maybe the bit of mortgage that was paid off, amounting to £50k or thereabouts.

He potentially feels tricked by SW into letting her back in the home (if his account is true). He realises he probably won't win in court, he is about to lose his home all over again, the kids, the roof over his mothers head to boot, he probably won't be able to afford to buy somewhere else by himself and there is nothing he can do about it.

Hey presto, enter stage left a disappearing act.

I don't see how this is helping his defence.

 

[Mrs Marple]

16:29
Sarah's plans to buy out Lacomba's half of house
Lacomba tells the court that he learnt of Sarah’s plan to buy him out of the property around a month or two after she had moved back to 22 Bazes Shaw.

When asked if that plan was likely to happen, Lacomba said:

No not really. Sarah was always coming up with these plans. She had mentioned £50,000 (for half equity) and to me my house is conservatively worth £300,000. I went along with it but didn’t agree to that amount of £50,000.

“I wasn’t expecting this to actually happen but if it actually did emerge as a realistic possibility, I would have said I would have agreed to taking half of the equity.

“The relationship between me and Sarah was completely different. We weren’t having to live our lives using a court order so I was happy.

“I might be living in a different house but to me a house is a house, what makes it a home is the family in it.”​

But Lacomba says he was unaware of the plans for Sarah’s sons Jack and Lewis to get a mortgage to buy him out and first learnt of this on October 11 when a police officer came to the house and Lacomba started to look through messages on her phone.

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

Ahh l see they confirmed this was the plan while l was posting. BL was backed into a corner and they had no idea what he was capable of.

 

[Legally Bland]

17:00 KEY EVENT
Lacomba describes 'the last time he saw Sarah'

Lacomba continues to describe what happened on the last day Sarah was seen alive - October 9 last year.

He says that Sarah called him on her way home to say that she had been given a bike.

After returning home, Lacomba says Sarah went into her bedroom. Lacomba explains that he then went in to speak to her. He says:

I went to Sarah’s bedroom and knocked on the door. Sarah was on the phone. She was under the covers with her laptop on top.

“She had a pink dressing gown on.”​

Sarah then came out of the bedroom, according to Lacomba, who says he didn’t see her after that. He continues:

That’s the last time I saw Sarah as I assume she went back into her bedroom.”​

Lacomba says he then goes to bed at about 11pm and gets up at around 7am the next day.

The 39-year-old says that he thought it was “unusual” that Sarah wasn’t home and hadn’t said anything to him about leaving. He continues:

I thought that was unusual. It was weird because if Sarah goes and stays at a friend’s house, she’d normally text me. I hadn’t got any sort of message like that.​

Rebecca Trowler QC, defending, asks Lacomba: “Why didn’t you find out where Sarah was?”

Lacomba replies: “Her door was open and I noticed two phones were in her room. She hasn’t even got her phones with her so how can I contact her?”

When leaving the house in the morning, he sees that Sarah’s car is still there. He adds:

I thought that was unusual and weird as well.”​

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

 

[Spy Versus Spy]

16:47 KEY EVENT
Lacomba describes his version of events on October 9, 2018

Sarah Jane Wellgreen was last seen on October 9 (Image: Source Unknown)

Ben Lacomba is being questioned over his version of events of what happened on Tuesday, October 9, 2018 - the last day that Sarah Wellgreen was seen alive.

He explains that he went to work in the morning of October 9 and that his last job of the day was a drop-off in Sevenoaks at 4.50pm, which is an agreed fact in the case.

“I remember that job because she’s a regular customer and she lives near the Portobello pub in West Kingsdown,” says Lacomba.

From the Portobello, Lacomba says he went up Fawkham Road, north onto Brands Hatch Road and turns onto Rogers Wood Lane through the forest, straight on over the crossroads to Billet Hill - roads he describes as “tiny country lanes” so one vehicle has to “pull over into the wood and mud to let the other car pass”.

This journey typically takes 15 minutes depending on traffic.

Why Lacomba parked in car park 2

Lacomba gets home and parks in car park 2 on the evening of October 9, 2018. Explaining why he did this, he says:

I probably drove into car park 1, saw that it was busy, saw that there was a space next to the house knowing Sarah would be coming home later and drove out to park in car park 2 to leave a space for Sarah.

“That was probably the reason why I parked in car park 2.”​

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

Catching up...

The route back from his last job is going to explain away any forensic links on car to certain muds...plant/grass etc? Prob similar landscape/Flora etc than where she is actually buried ( if that is the case) Just in case they have any.?

 

[Noseyjosie]

17:00 KEY EVENT
Lacomba describes 'the last time he saw Sarah'

Lacomba continues to describe what happened on the last day Sarah was seen alive - October 9 last year.

He says that Sarah called him on her way home to say that she had been given a bike.

After returning home, Lacomba says Sarah went into her bedroom. Lacomba explains that he then went in to speak to her. He says:

I went to Sarah’s bedroom and knocked on the door. Sarah was on the phone. She was under the covers with her laptop on top.

“She had a pink dressing gown on.”​

Sarah then came out of the bedroom, according to Lacomba, who says he didn’t see her after that. He continues:

That’s the last time I saw Sarah as I assume she went back into her bedroom.”​

Lacomba says he then goes to bed at about 11pm and gets up at around 7am the next day.

The 39-year-old says that he thought it was “unusual” that Sarah wasn’t home and hadn’t said anything to him about leaving. He continues:

I thought that was unusual. It was weird because if Sarah goes and stays at a friend’s house, she’d normally text me. I hadn’t got any sort of message like that.​

Rebecca Trowler QC, defending, asks Lacomba: “Why didn’t you find out where Sarah was?”

Lacomba replies: “Her door was open and I noticed two phones were in her room. She hasn’t even got her phones with her so how can I contact her?”

When leaving the house in the morning, he sees that Sarah’s car is still there. He adds:

I thought that was unusual and weird as well.”​

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

BBM
The other day wasn't it stated that he said in interview that he texted her at 11:30am then found her phones at home so didn't ring her?
I hope he continues to tie himself in knots

 

[Alyce]

Snipped from Legally's post above

He explains that he went to work in the morning of October 9 and that his last job of the day was a drop-off in Sevenoaks at 4.50pm, which is an agreed fact in the case.

“I remember that job because she’s a regular customer and she lives near the Portobello pub in West Kingsdown,” says Lacomba.

From the Portobello, Lacomba says he went up Fawkham Road, north onto Brands Hatch Road and turns onto Rogers Wood Lane through the forest, straight on over the crossroads to Billet Hill - roads he describes as “tiny country lanes” so one vehicle has to “pull over into the wood and mud to let the other car pass”.

This journey typically takes 15 minutes depending on traffic.


this is the route

Google Maps

 

[Alyce]

And here is the alternative route, which looks to me to be easier and less narrow lanes

Google Maps

 

[Alyce]

The court hears from Lacomba about how Wellgreen moved back in to 22 Bazes Shaw in May 2018 following their discussion.

Interesting that this was arranged between SW and BL, but NJ seems to have had no warning whatsoever re the plans.

 

[Skigh]

Thanks very much for today's updates, SVS and Legally ,much appreciated.

 

[Alyce]

October 9
I probably drove into car park 1, saw that it was busy, saw that there was a space next to the house knowing Sarah would be coming home later and drove out to park in car park 2 to leave a space for Sarah.
“That was probably the reason why I parked in car park 2.”

Is this also the reason why he parked in CP2 on other days ?

Plus, I don't see how him parking in CP2 would automatically guarantee the space in CP1 would be left free for SW. Anyone else could have come along and parked there surely ?

 

[Alyce]

My mum was listening with me

ML certainly seems to be around whenever needed, to view Whatsapp chats or listen in to conversations

 

[Alyce]

BBM. Really?!?! I suppose at that point it seemed that BL could provide more stability. But he goes on to say:
I wonder if this is the crux of it. SW left, they kids were with him at one point, she decided to return but changed her mind. SW interpreted the order to mean she could offer him half of the equity and maybe the bit of mortgage that was paid off, amounting to £50k or thereabouts.
He potentially feels tricked by SW into letting her back in the home (if his account is true). He realises he probably won't win in court, he is about to lose his home all over again, the kids, the roof over his mothers head to boot, he probably won't be able to afford to buy somewhere else by himself and there is nothing he can do about it.

Hey presto, enter stage left a disappearing act.

I don't see how this is helping his defence.

the roof over his mothers head to boot,

ML has her own home nearby, so she would not be homeless. The likelihood is that BL would have had to go back and live with ML, which he probably did not want to do.

 

[Alyce]

BBM
The other day wasn't it stated that he said in interview that he texted her at 11:30am then found her phones at home so didn't ring her?
I hope he continues to tie himself in knots

Exactly. I remember we discussed this and thought that he might have been texting her at 11.30am in case she had gone back home by then and had picked up one of her phones. But he doesnt seem to be saying this ?

 

[Alyce]

Thanks SVS and Legally for all the updates today, much appreciated.

 

[Alyce]

There's a few more pieces of info here, not reported on the main link earlier.



She moved out to live with him in Spain with her two older children, Jack and Lewis, and became pregnant.
“I was over the moon,” recalled Lacomba. “Sarah was actually worried about telling me. Once she told me I said it was absolutely fine.”

Ms Trowler asked him if he had known Sarah had suffered any mental health issues.
Lacomba replied: “Sarah was having issues with feelings of anger and said she would go to the doctors to talk about it. Subsequent to that she told he had prescribed her medication to help.”
Ms Trowler also asked if he had been aware if Sarah had felt suicidal at times and he said he was not.

He said trust issues developed over a later pregnancy and the couple eventually spilt in 2014 when Sarah met another man on holiday in Turkey.


'I didn't kill Sarah'

 

[Ironside]

I wonder if this is the crux of it. SW left, they kids were with him at one point, she decided to return but changed her mind. SW interpreted the order to mean she could offer him half of the equity and maybe the bit of mortgage that was paid off, amounting to £50k or thereabouts.

He potentially feels tricked by SW into letting her back in the home (if his account is true). He realises he probably won't win in court, he is about to lose his home all over again, the kids, the roof over his mothers head to boot, he probably won't be able to afford to buy somewhere else by himself and there is nothing he can do about it.

Hey presto, enter stage left a disappearing act.

I don't see how this is helping his defence.

I don't think she ever really wanted to get back with BL, she probably just faked it to get back in the house again. His humiliation was his motive to kill her.

 

[Spy Versus Spy]

BL certainly had a complicated Spade life.


Thanks Legally B for the updates.

I think its an interesting start to defence. Amazingly, the points that the Prosecution made and were addressed Today all have a perfectly straight forward explaination.

Also a very clever, if its not true, tactic of acknowledging all SW's relationships/dates etc but appearing to be fine and supportive of them. Even being like a friend and chatting about problems in relationships etc.

Thus similtaneously drawing attention to them (inc ,from very early in the defence, the marriage/relationship history that predated BL, right up to last year) and yet he had no problem with it ( yet the kids asked if Mum was a sxxg!!!)

 

[Mrs Marple]

I don't think she ever really wanted to get back with BL, she probably just faked it to get back in the house again. His humiliation was his motive to kill her.

Well yes l thought that but l didn't want to speak ill of her as she can't defend herself. It's a pretty thing to do imho, if that is what happened, although to clarify l am not victim blaming here at all.