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

[Alyce]

If that is the case, then that speaks to premeditation.. wait for her to be sound asleep.. go in and quietly smother her (hey, the pillow!)

I think that's more likely what happened.

 

[Spy Versus Spy]

If that is the case, then that speaks to premeditation.. wait for her to be sound asleep.. go in and quietly smother her (hey, the pillow!)

If we accept that the previous ,but recent , turning off/on of the cctv system were some sort of practice runs, then he practiced a quite regular timeline iirc? Approx 11.45-2am?

 

[deugirtni]

If we accept that the previous ,but recent , turning off/on of the cctv system were some sort of practice runs, then he practiced a quite regular timeline iirc? Approx 11.45-2am?

I wonder if he also practised the car trips too, how long it would take, traffic, (look for cameras??)..

 

[Spy Versus Spy]

I wonder if he also practised the car trips too, how long it would take, traffic, (look for cameras??)..

Im wondering if something went wrong, or took much longer than expected.?
Had he planned to turn off cctv at say midnight, kill SW, take body to car parked and via a way that he has prev researched/established he wont be on his/neighbours cctv, drive a previously timed route , to a possibly planned ,and even prepared, location, return and turn cctv back on by 2am?

 

[Spy Versus Spy]

Im wondering if something went wrong, or took much longer than expected.?
Had he planned to turn off cctv at say midnight, kill SW, take body to car parked and via a way that he has prev researched/established he wont be on his/neighbours cctv, drive a previously timed route , to a possibly planned ,and even prepared, location, return and turn cctv back on by 2am?

Ps...will be interesting to see if , on the dates BL turned his cctv off/on, he then went on to leave the house within that timeframe and if police have proof of him doing so

 

[GimmeAclueBlue]

Yes I was wondering if possible to have washed it or bcome wet/damp some other way, and then if put on the shelf in the shed, would the weather perhaps have prevented it from drying fully? But the confusing part is.. where was it when they searched the shed the first time, or did they just simply not notice it. That is possible too. The prosecutor is only guessing that it wasn't there previously. We have all heard of cops not noticing stuff before.

Maybe kept in suitcase amongst childs clothes. Could easily be mistaken at first glance as childs clothes with logo etc.
Possibly why he his pants when it was revealed in SW boot.....question is (and what i continually annoy my bf with lol) is did the police woman take that suitcase straight away.......or just ponder on it? Like the phones etc.
All IMO, but even if i was a rookie and saw that in the boot, surely, from the get go EVERYTHING is relevant.

Suitcases are notoriously relevant in missing people cases/murder. Clearly that PO is not a sleuther

 

[GimmeAclueBlue]

SW got home at 7.45pm ( BLs first statement ). She was talking to NJ at 9.20 ish for about 15 minutes and after that she exchanged the texts with Mr Eleini around 10pm. So any bath or shower attack would have to have taken place after this time. Taking a huge chance because the childrens bedrooms are next to and opposite the bathroom. Plus, as he did not leave until after 2am, that means he would have had to keep the body somewhere in the house for 4 hours and risk any of the children getting up to look for mum in the night.
I think whatever happened was later, in SWs bedroom, possibly with a locked or blocked door, to stop any of the children entering.


I get this completely but u would be surprised for example....

My x was vile and abusive and i had a job where i would come home late and he would always start and call me names etc and provoke me but i would NEVER bite bk cus i didn't want my children to hear or witness it.
Would u think it was going to accumilate to what it did or maybe it would be like every other time u argued!
All IMO obviously but i speak from past experience

 

[Ironside]

I've just thought of a scenario. SW goes for a shower and washes her hair. BL hides in her bedroom whilst she is in the bathroom. SW returns to her bedroom where BL catches her off guard and smothers her. He then lies her on the bed afterwards making it wet.

 

[Alyce]

10:39

Day 8: Trial resumes once again

The trial of Ben Lacomba has resumed at Woolwich Crown Court this morning (October 10).

Jurors are continuing to hear evidence from DC James Greenidge, who has dealt with ‘proof of life’ enquiries following Sarah Wellgreen’s disappearance.

Those enquiries have covered a range of activities expected in Sarah’s day-to-day life, including the absence of contact between Sarah Wellgreen and her friends and absence of human activity on her bank account, including telephone and email accounts.

It’s confirmed there has been no activity on her Facebook account since she was last seen

DC Greenidge explains he has exhausted enquiries in relation to vehicles she had use of.

In terms of police and public records, there has been “negative results on any changes to voter registration” and after conducting searches across police databases, including contact with police and enquiries, he confirms there has been no contact.

Sarah was flagged up as being a missing person on the national computer network from day one, according to DC Greenidge.


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

 

[Alyce]

10:52

No 'proof of life' at all

DC Greenidge has reiterated that dozens of lines of enquiries have been explored to find any suggestion of life in relation to Sarah Wellgreen since she disappeared.

He explains that checks have regularly been carried out on her personal bank accounts, email addresses, social media profiles, phone activity and contact with family or friends, as well as many other points of contact she may have had.

These have been carried out in January 2018, April 2019 and then again last month (September 2019).

Despite the thorough checks, DC Greenidge confirms that there is no sign to imply Sarah Wellgreen is still alive. He said

There has been no suggestion she is [alive from any of the enquiries].”


The other lines of enquiry to investigate any potential activity by Sarah Wellgreen since October 9, 2018, include the following:

• A property in Turkey jointly owned by Sarah and Lacomba
• Dating profiles, including Tinder and Plenty Of Fish
• Passport activity
• Possible additional vehicles
• GP records

The court hears how there was no activity in relation to any of these since Sarah went missing.


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

 

[Alyce]

11:16

Statement from neighbour at Bazes Shaw about CCTV cameras

A statement from a neighbour of Lacomba and Sarah’s in Bazes Shaw has been read out to the court in relation to the CCTV cameras on properties in the area.

Neighbour Jay Ellis explains how he once requested to view Lacomba’s CCTV footage because of an incident in the car park. Following that, Lacomba requested to view what Mr Ellis’s cameras covered on several occasions. Mr Ellis said in a statement:



I have lived at Bazes Shaw in New Ash Green since March 2017. Around June 2017, I installed two external CCTV cameras - one to the front of my property covering the pathway, the small car park and the side of my neighbour Ben Lacomba’s property, 22 Bazes Shaw.

“Within the first month of moving in, I had damage caused to my car in the car park. I noticed Ben Lacomba had some CCTV cameras on his property close to the car park, so I asked him if I could look at the footage. We found the cause of the damage for which I was grateful.

“I then installed my front and rear cameras around May-June 2017. Around May 2018 Ben Lacomba attended my house and asked to look at my camera coverage from the view on my TV.

“He just wanted to know the coverage of my camera to the front of the house. I cannot recall the exact date.

“There was a previous occasion around a year ago when he attended my house and looked at my camera angle at the front of the house. He did not give a reason.

“On each occasion I had no problem with him looking at the CCTV camera angle coverage as he had accommodated my request to view his.

“My camera at the front of my house is clearly visible. It’s a white camera with a red light.”


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

 

[Legally Bland]

“There was a previous occasion around a year ago when he attended my house and looked at my camera angle at the front of the house. He did not give a reason.

I wish that was more specific, but I assume he means shortly before SW went missing.

ETA: No it won't, it'll be a year prior to his statement. So could be as far back as Oct 2017.

 

[Ironside]

11:16

Statement from neighbour at Bazes Shaw about CCTV cameras

A statement from a neighbour of Lacomba and Sarah’s in Bazes Shaw has been read out to the court in relation to the CCTV cameras on properties in the area.

Neighbour Jay Ellis explains how he once requested to view Lacomba’s CCTV footage because of an incident in the car park. Following that, Lacomba requested to view what Mr Ellis’s cameras covered on several occasions. Mr Ellis said in a statement:



I have lived at Bazes Shaw in New Ash Green since March 2017. Around June 2017, I installed two external CCTV cameras - one to the front of my property covering the pathway, the small car park and the side of my neighbour Ben Lacomba’s property, 22 Bazes Shaw.

“Within the first month of moving in, I had damage caused to my car in the car park. I noticed Ben Lacomba had some CCTV cameras on his property close to the car park, so I asked him if I could look at the footage. We found the cause of the damage for which I was grateful.

“I then installed my front and rear cameras around May-June 2017. Around May 2018 Ben Lacomba attended my house and asked to look at my camera coverage from the view on my TV.

“He just wanted to know the coverage of my camera to the front of the house. I cannot recall the exact date.

“There was a previous occasion around a year ago when he attended my house and looked at my camera angle at the front of the house. He did not give a reason.

“On each occasion I had no problem with him looking at the CCTV camera angle coverage as he had accommodated my request to view his.

“My camera at the front of my house is clearly visible. It’s a white camera with a red light.”


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

I thought it was odd that the neighbour let BL view his cctv without an explanation. I guess if the neighbour had previously viewed BL's cctv footage it would seem less odd a request and he would have felt obliged to agree.

 

[Alyce]

12:02

Another neighbour gives evidence

Another resident in Bazes Shaw, Christopher Everest, has been giving evidence in relation to where Ben Lacomba was parking his red taxi in the weeks before Sarah Wellgreen’s disappearance.

Mr Everest, who says he was living in Bazes Shaw in October 2018, was questioned by Alison Morgan QC, prosecuting, and Rebecca Trowler QC, defending.

He confirms he knows Lacomba, Sarah and those living at number 22 and is aware that Lacomba drives a red taxi – he also knows where Lacomba usually parks in car park 1.

Ms Morgan asks: “Where did he usually park?”

Mr Everest replies: “Usually at the side of his house. From my recollection it would be next to, as close to, number 22.

“On the right hand side, before the wall.”

When asked if he had noticed Lacomba ever parking his vehicle anywhere else, he said: “Yes. In car park 2.”

Ms Morgan asks: “How often had he been parking his car there?”

Mr Everest answers: “If I remember rightly just from what I saw personally, once or twice in as many weeks leading up to that date. [Roughly 4-6 weeks].”

He says that Lacomba had parked there “maybe once a week, then the next week it might have been twice a week”.

Recalling the last time he saw Sarah on the morning of October 9, 2018, Mr Everest says she “seemed happy as she usually was”.

He says he didn’t see Ben Lacomba that day but noticed his red taxi in car park 2 and wasn’t aware of any other red cars in the car park.

Mr Everest confirms he went out to shops and saw red vehicle in the same place at around 7pm on Tuesday, October 9



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

 

[Alyce]

12:12

Lacomba was 'parking in car park 2 for six weeks on and off' before Sarah disappeared

Bazes Shaw resident Christopher Everest continues to give evidence about where Ben Lacomba was parking his red taxi in the weeks before Sarah’s disappearance.

Mr Everest accepts that Lacomba started parking in car park 2 every now and again around some time in August.

When questioned, he reiterates that Lacomba would normally park in car park 1 but when he did occasionally park in car park 2, it would generally be in the same space.

He says that when he saw Lacomba’s car on October 9 at 7pm in car park 2, he was parked in the same space he would normally use in that car park. Mr Everest added:


I would say he had been doing this for at least six weeks on and off. There was no pattern to it.”


When asked if there was “any obvious reason why he had been doing this”, Mr Everest replied: “No.”


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

 

[Alyce]

I wish that was more specific, but I assume he means shortly before SW went missing.

ETA: No it won't, it'll be a year prior to his statement. So could be as far back as Oct 2017.

I was thinking the same - would be so useful to know exactly when.

 

[Spy Versus Spy]

There's a Mountain of evidence building up against him, especially since the last witness gave evidence

If they call Mr B Nevis next, BL is really in trouble

 

[Spy Versus Spy]

In lieu of Alyce....From same source iirc..Kentlive.

14:05
Next door neighbour says he 'was not woken' by noise on October 9

Another resident, Adrian Sharman, who is the next door neighbour, has been called to give evidence who also lives in Bazes Shaw.

When questioned by the prosecution Alison Morgan, QC, he said he was aware that Ben Lacomba drove a red taxi and that Sarah Wellgreen had her own car.

He said Lacomba “most of the time parked in car park one, or opposite number 22.”

Reciting the last time he spoke to Sarah, Mr Sharman said he saw Sarah fitting a dashcam to her car back in September 2018.

He told her about a dashcam and that it might save her money on her car insurance.

When asked what he said at the time, Mr Sharman told the court:

“I said, hello sarah how are you?

“[She was] a very cheerful, very happy sort of person. Loves her kids.”

Mr Sharman usually gets in from work at around 5.30pm to 6pm, and on October 9 he went into car park one.

When he parked up, he said he did not see Lacomba’s red taxi there.

The next morning he got up at 4am, and left the house at 5am and said the taxi was not in car park one at that time.

When asked if there were any empty gaps in car park one, he replied: “Yes, there was.”

The defence, Rebecca Trowler QC, started asking Mr Sharman whether, throughout August and September he had noticed Lacomba had started to also “sometimes” park in car park two.

He replied: “I didn’t notice that.”

Rebecca Trowler said: “In your witness statement you explained that on occasions you can hear noise coming through the wall from 22.

“You gave an example of children playing, shouting, in the weekday evenings and on weekends.

“And you also told the police would sometime hear the front door of number 22 shutting and did that happen, did you hear that sometimes at night when you were asleep?”

He replied “yes”.

The defence continued to ask about the noise of 22’s door shutting, which he agreed would be loud enough to wake him up.

He confirmed he was not woken by any noise coming from 22 on October 9 and had not heard any prior arguments coming from their house since he moved next door in 2017.

 

[Spy Versus Spy]

14:52
Director of All Night Cars taxi firm's statement


The court heard about Ben Lacomba’s working life at All Night Cars, based in Dartford.

The owner Nicholas Morris said Lacomba is one of the drivers working from his office, but that he is not directly employed by them.

He is referred to as an “open shift driver” which means he does shifts to suit himself, but his bookings come through the office.

Lacomba had began working for All Night Cars in October 2014.

Lacomba’s last working day for the firm was Saturday, October 13 when he did a pick up from Crayford.

Further to a statement he had already made, Mr Morris said:

Ben had been working up to the early hours on Sunday, October 14 and had not made me aware his (ex) partner was missing .

Our drivers do not have lockers or other storage facilities at the office, they purchase their own fuel.

There have been no discipline issues with Ben since working for the company.

We do not provide drivers with a phone, they have to provide their own, and once he commences work he will operate from the app, from that point the computer tracks his movements throughout his shifts.

Once finished and off the job, he’s no longer tracked.

On Thursday, October 25 I called Ben into the office due to the media coverage of him and Sarah Wellgreen and I explained I had conflicted advice from the police as to whether I should let him drive.

I explained I would allow him to drive and would monitor the media coverage and Facebook comments over the weekend.

If there were adverse comments affecting the name of the company I would have to stop him driving.

We did not have a conversation on the disappearance of Sarah Wellgreen.

During October 9 and October 14 there were no unusual patterns in his working hours.

 

[Spy Versus Spy]

15:09
Mr Morris spoke about their last conversations

Mr Morris spoke about the last contact he had with Lacomba as Sarah Wellgreen’s disappearance became widely covered by the press.

He said on Tuesday, October 16 he received a call, from Lacomba, at 1.29pm (which his phone has no record of now).

Further to the initial statement, Mr Morris recalled that conversation.

Ben said in his call he wanted to talk to me, he said ‘have the police been to see you’, I said they have.

‘So you know what’s going on then’, he said, I said I did. He said he wanted to come and talk to me about it, he said he didn’t want to come into the office but was in the cafe shop next door.

The phone call was only a short call, and I went straight into the coffee shop.


In the coffee shop, Mr Morris said:

It was quite busy and Ben was sitting on his own waiting for his breakfast, there were quite a few sitting nearby so we moved table.

He asked again if the police had been into the office. I told him they had been int he previous day.

Ben said sorry for any problems it’s causing the business or something similar, but there was nothing he could do about it.

I said to Ben they clearly think it’s you and Ben said ‘yeah, they clearly do’.

Ben said that he had gone to bed the night of October 9 and when he woke up she was gone and he hasn’t seen her since.

I asked Ben if he notified licencing about what was going on and I said he probably should to keep them in the picture, it was a brief conversation.

He had a phone on the table, I can’t remember what he was wearing.

Ben was quite tense when we were talking. He had a panicky look on his face but looked like he was trying to keep calm.

He did not however seem overly worried or concerned that his ex partner Sarah had gone missing.

The reason I say this is because all Ben said about her was that he woke up and she was gone, then the conversation moved on, it was like he was brushing over it.

I was more worried about the police being involved and coming to the office.

I only stayed in the cafe for a few minutes then returned to the office, and then I didn’t see him for about a week.

The next time the pair saw each other was when Mr Morris called Lacomba into the office for a chat about stopping his services with the company.

According to Mr Morris, on October 26, licencing said Lacomba ‘might be targeted’ so on this day his licence was revoked and he has not worked for All Night Cars since.