| Flowers in Gods Garden - Holly Wells
and Jessica Chapman - Documents |
21/11/03 - Soham Trial Transcript
Friday, 21 November 2003
SKY News
Richard Latham is the chief prosecutor; his colleague
on the prosecution team is Karim Khalil QC. Stephen Coward
QC is Ian Huntley's defence barrrister. Michael Hubbard
QC is Maxine Carr's defence lawyer. Mr Justice Moses is
the judge. Other witnesses and lawyers are introduced
as they appear.
Page 01 02
03 04
MR LATHAM
my Lord, we move to an entirely different section of the
case, the Ford Fiesta. I am going to start by handing
out first what would be several (inaudible) documents.
I wonder if my Lord could give an indication, as it were,
of the status of an admission - and there will be one
between two for the Jury and of course a copy for my Lord.
MR JUSTICE MOSES
where are we going to put these?
MR
LATHAM
I was going to suggest they went at the very front of
the green file under the tabs. I shall of course read
them through to the Jury, so the Jury do not need to try
and absorb them the moment they get them.
MR
JUSTICE MOSES
have you all got them now? ladies and gentlemen, can I
just attract your attention? you remember when I said
about witnesses' evidence being read when it is not in
dispute, to save time and money, but still being just
as much part of the evidence as when witnesses come into
Court? The same is true of admissions; where evidence
is not in dispute there is no need for witnesses' statements
to be read. There is no need for witnesses to come to
Court. The defence are prepared, in certain circumstances
- entirely up to them - to admit facts. they are reduced
into writing so that you can keep them and have them there
as part of the evidence on which you will be able to act
insofar as it is significant and important in the case.
yes.
MR LATHAM
my Lord, I'm grateful. Members of the Jury, you will appreciate
we are now leaving the section of movements and contacts
between various people and/either Mr Huntley or Miss Carr.
We are now moving on to deal with evidence directly related
to the Ford Fiesta. I can say that the witness statements
are voluminous, but, that said, my learned friends are
prepared to assist by making these admissions, and it
will mean I hardly need to read anything of an entire
lever-arch file as a result of this document.
I will be referring to one or two witnesses and one or
two statements. The Ford Fiesta J112 YWR. the Fiesta was
bought new by Mr Paul in 1990/91 from Ben Field's Ford
Garage in Leeds in Yorkshire. The overall specifications
for the Fiesta are contained in the Fiesta specifications
booklet. pausing there. that, at our tab 2, is a specification
document that runs for three pages. members of the Jury,
I am not going to take you through the detail of that
but in the (inaudible) description of all the features
of a 5-door gear model with a 1. 1.4 litre engine.
It had factory fitted carpets in the cabin and boot, he
put rubber mats into it. He also had a Moss alarm system
fitted. He sold it to his nephew, John Dinsdale in about
August 2000. Jennifer Dinsdale kept the Fiesta and used
it until she sold it in part exchange on 10th July 2001
to the garage Coopers of Oulton, the only defect she ever
noted was a very slight oil leak. Coopers gave the car
a professional valet clean, the recorded mileage 3847.
Coopers sold the car to Mr Robert Lamberti through the
second hand auctions in West Yorkshire on 19th July 200,
the recorded mileage was 3849, so two miles more than
it had been when it was sold. 3, Mr Robert Lamberti bought
the car at the auction due to its apparently immaculate
condition for its age. However, he soon discovered a small
mechanical defect, which he had repaired, so he decided
to sell it at the end of July early August 2001. He placed
an advertisement in the local Scunthorpe newspapers.
4, a man calling himself Ian Nixon, together with two
people Mr Lamberti took to be his girlfriend and her father,
answered the advertisement and then bought the car. The
car was sold with the factory fitted carpets in the cabin
and boot and was immaculate inside and out. 5, Mr lamberti
saw Ian Huntley and Maxine Carr on the television coverage
that surrounded the search for Holly Wells and Jessica
Chapman in August 2002.
He immediately recognised them as being the two people
to whom he had sold his Fiesta. The vehicle registration
documents, that's the B5, shows the registered keeper
as Ian Huntley, 5 College Close, Soham, Ely and the postcode.
That is in the same tab in the bundle, it is document
4, a photocopy of the registration book.
In due course he, of course Mr Huntley, insured the vehicle
with Churchill Insurance company, who issued a certificate
of insurance. page 6 of the bundle that's an insurance
certificate you will hear that was seized from 5 College
Close. 6, on the 25th July 2001, Ian Huntley took the
Fiesta into Hartwell Ford garage Station Road, Scunthorpe
for a general inspection. He gave the following details.
I Nixon, 94 West Street, Scunthorpe and he gave the telephone
number you see there. The tyres were showing a tread depth
between 1mm and 3mm, no work was done by the garage following
the inspection. 7, on 5th August again of 2001, Ian Huntley
took the Fiesta to Kwik Fit in Scunthorpe. They fitted
four Centaur 165 by 6 5 T 13 tyres to the Fiesta at a
total cost of £208.91. he gave the following details,
Mr I Nixon, 94 West Street Scunthorpe and the postcode.
The mileage was recorded as 38,700 miles. Just looking
back to the first page is a matter of a few hundred miles
from the mileage on the first page. Invoice was generated
for this transaction. page 5, the previous page to the
certificate of motor insurance there is the bill for the
tyres, four tyres. number 8, new Centaur tyres have a
minimum tread depth of 7mm. 9, on 10th July 2002 Ian Huntley
took the Fiesta to Ford.
He gave the following details Ian Huntley, 5 College Close,
Soham and the postcode. the job card for the Fiesta shows
it was booked in for a 35,000 mile service and MOT and
some other work. Go on to page 7 in the bundle, you see
there the job card. It gives the name and address in the
top left-hand corner, the type of motor car with the registration
number, and then a description of what was to be carried
out, which includes the service and the MOT test.
the repair control record shows that all the work required
was carried out." over the page is the repair control
card which lists the MOT test carrying out a 30,000 mile
service and replacing two broken parts. The cash sales
invoice shows a more detailed breakdown of the work that
was carried out and paid for. That's page 9. The till
report was also produced, the next page, but it is a bill
for £288 odd and of course lists the materials used
and the labour and so on.
Over the page, 10, Paul Squire worked on the car and recorded
details, which included observing the Fiesta was fitted
with four Centaur tyres, one 65 by 6513 T, front tyres
5mm tread depth, rear tyres 6mm tread depth. Under normal
conditions, these would be expected to be legal for at
least another 10,000 miles. The spare wheel was recorded
as a Pirelli with 4mm tread depth.
He prepared the paperwork for the visual health check
but erroneously recorded the date as 9th July instead
of the 10th July. If you go over the page to page 11,
you see the visual health check, Members of the Jury,
from which that information that I have just read out
has been drawn. in particular, after detailing the particulars
of the car at the top and Mr Huntley's name, you note
the date top left is a day out, it should in fact have
been the 10th he has put the 9th, the mechanic.
The very first section is the wheels and tyres section
and you see the description of the tyre size, make, and
the tread death from the outer side of the tyre through
the middle of the tyre to the inner surface of the tyre
. Page 11, Hugh Carter carried out the MOT and completed
the appropriate paperwork. He is able to produce the MOT
inspection checklist, the MOT test certificate and the
Vehicle Inspectorate test register.
He recorded the mileage as 48, 807. The subsequent pages
deal with the MOT, including the certificate, which is
at page 13 and that of course has within it the recorded
mileage as it must do on an mot test certificate the right
hand side, it is the 4th box down on the right hand side,
the mileage. 12, on Monday, 5th August 2002, Ian Huntley
took the Fiesta to Ely Tyre Service, also known as Hi
Q, Unit 8, Angel Drove, Ely. They sold and fitted four
Sava Effecta 165 by 65 R 13 tyres on to the Fiesta at
a total cost of £139.26.
Only these four Sava Effecta tyres were fitted by this
garage between 4th and 17th August 2002. J B McKenzie
created the sales invoice which is timed 15.36 hours.
that's page 16. So that document which has on it, the
top right hand corner, the time on a 24 hour clock and
the four tyres and the cost. The registration number recorded
on the sales invoice, at the request of Ian Huntley, was
not the registration number of the car.
It was recorded as L 788 TXR, and you see again on the
invoice in the centre of the page underneath the details
of the tyres. This registration number has never been
issued to a car by the DVLC. One of the mechanics, Wayne
Norman, knows the tyres being replaced were in a surprisingly
good condition, still having between 4 and 6mm tread depth,
and he offered them to Mr John Fish, another mechanic
in the garage.
Mr Fish remembers being offered the tyres in the week
5th August but he refused them as the profile was not
suitable for his car. On Friday, 16th August, 2002, the
Fiesta was seized from outside 5 College Close and towed
to a garage from where it was taken for detailed forensic
examination. The results and observations of the examiners
involved in the examination of the Fiesta are accurately
recorded on the Cambridgeshire Constabulary vehicle examination
form and on the associated vehicle audit and inspection
documents. the page for that is, firstly page, 17.
I am not going to trouble you with the details at this
stage but the form starts at page 17 and, over the page,
you see it is a two-sided photocopy, runs on for several
pages, the recorded mileage was 49, 820. At page 19 of
the bundle, which is part of that form in the top left-hand
section you will see the mileage written down there, 49,820.
In the boot of the car is a pair of scissors, exhibit
DP 8, a red petrol can, RCB 1, and a piece of household
carpet, SLB 88.
These were seized. pausing there, my Lord we'll be hearing
from forensic scientists about those exhibits. The factory-fitted
boot carpet was not present. On Friday, 16th, that is
the day the car was seized, Huntley was found to be in
possession of six keys on a fob and these were seized
from him, GMB 1. Two of these are embossed with the word
"Ford" and found to fit the Fiesta. My Lord
I would just like to read a very short part of the statement
of Mr Lamberti, who is named in the admissions A, the
individual who sold the car to Mr Huntley.
My Lord will find that in my Lord's bundle, a new bundle
4017, and it is page 3 of the statement which is 4019.
so this is a very short passage from the statement of
Robert Mark Lamberti, Members of the Jury. he says this
about the car "the carpet in the car was a dark grey
carpet. it was fitted as it would be fitted in the factory.
It was not loose and it showed no sign of having been
tampered with. it was in excellent condition with no marks
or damage.
The boot was also very clean and tidy. The floor of the
boot was carpeted. The carpet fitted perfectly and again
appeared factory fitted and undamaged. I think it was
designed to be lifted up. I have a recollection of red
metal under the carpet. I cannot remember if the spare
wheel was under the car or in the boot. the fabric of
the carpet was dark grey in the boot. It was very course
and about quarter of an inch deep.
I have a recollection of a different coloured thread appearing
all over it. I think it was a lighter colour, it looked
a bit like dog hair all over the carpet. The boot carpet
fitted perfectly and was in an immaculate condition."
If my learned friend could read one additional bit from
Mr Lamberti page 4018.
Mr Lamberti has spoken of the defendant buying the car
from him, ending at the bottom "He then drove the
car away.....", down to "...involvement."
on the next page. "He then drove the car away, Mr
Huntley. Within five days he had left two or three messages
on my mobile phone. He told me he was having trouble with
the car.
He said there were a number of problems with the car.
I cannot remember what they were. He said the car was
at the Ford garage, Hartwell Motors, Station Road, Scunthorpe.
He said they were going to charge him £500. I felt
bad as he had paid the full price. I offered to get the
work done by Pips garage. He agreed and I drove to his
flat. he lived in a ground floor flat next door to Eclipse
Hair Salon, West Street, Scunthorpe.
The entrance was at the back, his girlfriend was sunbathing.
I saw that they had a big, black German shepherd type
dog. Ian Nixon came out and I took him to Hartwell Motors.
The Fiesta was still able to drive and we took it to Pip
Freers Garage. He said he could do the work for about
£270. Nixon took the offer up and that was the end
of my involvement. I will read the statement, if I may,
of Jamie William McKenzie, page 4030. "together with
my partner, Robert Brown, we operate a business known
as Ely Tyre Services.
The business is situated at Unit 8, Angel Drove, Ely,
Cambridgeshire. We have been in business together for
almost ten years. As the name suggests, our main business
is tyre fitting; we also do a full range of other garage
services including servicing, MOT and mechanical repairs,
welding, brakes, batteries and exhaust fitting.
We supply a full range of different brands of tyres. however,
90% of our budget range of tyres are supplied by Goodyear.
On checking our sales invoice" - and he then refers
to the invoice we have looked at, page 16 of the bundle
- for the four tyres, he says, "This was for the
sale of 41 65, six 5 TR 13 budget tyres. The total cost
of the sale was £139.26. This was a cash sale. What
is unusual about this invoice is that I have recorded
a vehicle registration number, that number being L 788
TXR.
when a customer visits our business, they will enquire
as whether or not we have tyres in stock. If we have,
they normally ask for a price and once this is agreed,
the work is carried out. when the work is completed the
customer pays and they are then given the top copy of
the sales invoice. This side of the business is always
done by either Robert or myself.
on Monday, 5th August, 2002, Robert was not at work and
I can therefore say that the sales invoice 58392 was created
by me. As I have said, the top copy of the sales invoice,
which is white, is given to the customer. The bottom copy
J, which is green, is retained by us for our records.
When creating these invoices, the customer would have
no reason to touch or handle the bottom green copy."
I now produce in evidence a copy of the sales invoice.
That is the one of course you have got in the photocopy
form in the bundle. "with regard the above mentioned
invoice I can say, although it shows the sale as being
budget tyres, these tyres would have been Sava Effecta,
the tyres supplied to us by Goodyear. With regard to the
sales invoice, I can say that it is unusual for me to
put a registered number on the invoice.
however, when I do put one on, it is not always the registered
number of the vehicle having the tyres fitted to it. It
may be that the customer wants a different number put
on to the invoice in order that he can claim VAT or expenses
against a company car. I cannot remember anything about
this sale, the customer, the vehicle or the reason I put
the registered number on the invoice."
My Lord 4036, Wayne Paul Norton a tyre fitter. "I'm
employed by Ely Tyre Services, Angel Drove, Ely as a tyre
fitter. I have held this position for the last two and
a half years that name suggests I'm responsible for removing
old and faulty exhausts and replacing old worn out tyres
to vehicles brought in by customers. I do not formally
serve customers, that job is done by either Jimmy McKenzie
or Robert Brown who are the owners they will then tell
me what needs doing to a customer's vehicle.
I would estimate that I could be working on anything up
to 100 vehicles a week. about five weeks ago---",
the statement is 1st October in fact last year - it might
be longer, "---I remember changing four tyres on
a red Ford Fiesta. the reason I remember this vehicle
is because of the condition of the tyres already on the
vehicle.
I cannot remember what day of the week it was, but I do
remember I had just finished removing and replacing an
exhaust system on a grey Volvo, I think a 240 R 340 model,
I remember this vehicle because of its condition it was
a right rusty old heap. I didn't think it worth fitting
a new exhaust system to it.
I also remembered because Volvos are a right pain to work
on. If my memory is correct, I started work on the Volvo
after my lunch hour so it would have been about 2 p.m.,
it takes me about 45 minutes to an hour to remove and
replace one of these systems, so I would have finished
around 3 p.m. I don't remember why, but I then took over
from CHRISTOPHER PIGGOTT ----", my Lord I shall be
calling Mr Piggott as a witness, "----who is one
of our other tyre fitters. Chris was about to start work
on a red Fiesta. That was to have four new tyres fitted.
the vehicle was parked on the right hand side of the tyre
bay as you enter the garage.
The wheel balancing machine was to the left of the vehicle.
The vehicle was parked facing into the garage I did not
see the customer who drove the vehicle into the garage.
I remember that Christopher placed 4 new budget tyres
by the vehicle. I recall these tyres were budget tyres,
they would have been Sava tyres, as these are the budget
tyres we normally use. as I have already said, I remember
this vehicles because the tyres already on the vehicle
had 4mm of tread on the front wheels and about 6m on the
rear.
I did not measure the tread depths but did it visibly.
I can tell this by sight because I'm working with tyres
all the time. new tyres have between 6 and 7mm tread,
depending on the make and the model. because of this,
the front tyres were less than half worn and the rears
were almost brand new. I think the rear tyres were some
type of budget tyre. it is very unusual for people to
change tyres in this condition. It would normally be people
with expensive cars and lots of money.
People do like to have matching pairs or sets but do not
change them in the condition of the ones of this Fiesta
were. This vehicle was a red Ford Fiesta mark 3. It was
like an L X model." at the end of the statement,
"Because of the condition of the rear tyres, I offered
them to Steven Fish, who is also a tyre fitter at Ely
Tyre Services. I knew Steve wanted tyres for a trailer.
I knew they were the right size so I asked him if he wanted
them. I think they were the wrong profile. Steve wanted
a 70 or 80 profile. I think these tyres were a lower profile.
All old tyres are placed in a wooden barrow in the garage.
At the end of the day they are placed in a steel container
outside to await collection for destruction."
MR JUSTICE MOSES
that last sentence is of significance , is it?
MR LATHAM
I need not trouble you with that detail. Steven Fish,
who has just been mentioned in that statement I have read
out, another employee at Ely Tyre Services, over the page,
my Lord, "During the weekend of Saturday and Sunday
3rd and 4th August 2002, I attended a Steam Rally at Haverhill.
I recall this event because I was looking to purchase
a tractor that I wanted to restore.
I did in fact find a tractor I wanted and made arrangements
to pick it up the following week. As a result of finding
this tractor, I needed to fit a set of tyres to a trailer
in order that I could collect the vehicle. the size of
tyres I wanted were 165/13s. I wanted the profile to be
80 or TR. On Monday 5th August I mentioned to one of my
workmates, Wayne Norman, I wanted these tyres and asked
him to look out for a set of tyres that were in good condition,
hoping he might find some from tyres he was replacing
off customers' vehicles.
I cannot remember if it was on this same day or later
that week but Wayne offered me two tyres. I recall he
had replaced four tyres on a vehicle, two of these tyres
were like new, and two had between 4 and 5mm of tread
on them. Unfortunately for me, these tyres were 165s with
a profile of either 65 or 70. Because the profile was
so low I had to refuse." in the light of the admission
that Mr Huntley's vehicle was taken to the garage I need
not go further with the description. I call CHRISTOPHER
PIGGOTT please. 4033, my Lord.
CHRISTOPHER
PIGGOTT , sworn
Examined by MR LATHAM.
MR LATHAM
Mr Piggott, would you tell us your full name, please?
CHRISTOPHER PIGGOTT
CHRISTOPHER PIGGOTT.
MR LATHAM
I think last year you were employed by Ely Tyre Services
as a tyre and exhaust fitter, is that correct?
CHRISTOPHER PIGGOTT
yes.
MR LATHAM
are you still working there?
CHRISTOPHER
PIGGOTT
yes.
MR LATHAM
in August last year you had worked there about 14 months,
haven't you?
CHRISTOPHER PIGGOTT
yes.
MR LATHAM
who trained you to fit the tyres?
CHRISTOPHER
PIGGOTT
Wayne Norman.
MR LATHAM
I think although you also work on exhaust systems, most
of the time you in fact fit tyres, is that correct?
CHRISTOPHER PIGGOTT
yes.
MR LATHAM
having been trained by Wayne, do you have a fairly set
procedure for working on cars when you are changing tyres?
CHRISTOPHER PIGGOTT
yes.
MR JUSTICE MOSES
no need to lean forward to the microphone. thank you very
much.
MR LATHAM
can I deal with the situation where, rather than just
replacing one tyre, you have been asked to replace all
four on a motor car. How would you go about that, what
would you do first of all if you are replacing all the
tyres on a car?
CHRISTOPHER PIGGOTT
I would jack the car up to start off with.
MR
LATHAM
would that be just one corner of it or the entire car?
CHRISTOPHER PIGGOTT
the entire car.
MR LATHAM
I think you were asked to make a statement at the very
beginning of October of last year weren't you?
CHRISTOPHER PIGGOTT
yes.
MR LATHAM
about a particular transaction, how many sets of jacks,
trolley jacks, did you have on the floor to work with
at Ely Tyre Services?
CHRISTOPHER PIGGOTT
four at this time.
MR LATHAM
had there been a shortage of jacks while one or more was
being repaired?
CHRISTOPHER PIGGOTT
yes.
MR LATHAM
When you were asked to make the statement did you have
all the jacks available on the tyre floor.
MR
COWARD
My lord, can I assist, it may be very interesting this,
but my client accepts that he - it is in the admission,
that he took the car, and the gentleman put four new tyres
on.
MR JUSTICE MOSES
anyway, I have learned my lesson every time I ask
MR LATHAM
. he has some reason. I'm keeping quiet.
MR
LATHAM
I want to link to general dates my Lord will see.
MR JUSTICE MOSES
yes, quite.
MR LATHAM
I appreciate it may not be wholly fascinating as to how
many jacks there were. let's see if I can take it.
MR JUSTICE MOSES
it is gripping. yes.
MR LATHAM
Mr Piggott, I think you were asked to cast your mind back
to a particular transaction during the time, the period
when you were somewhat short of car jacks on the shop
floor, weren't you?
CHRISTOPHER PIGGOTT
yes.
MR LATHAM
do you remember speaking to a particular customer who
you were replacing tyres for or about to start replacing
tres for, about something he was asking you to do?
CHRISTOPHER PIGGOTT
yes.
MR LATHAM
what was he asking you to do?
CHRISTOPHER
PIGGOTT
change the number plate on the receipt.
MR
LATHAM
has that ever happened to you before - that you have been
asked to do that?
CHRISTOPHER PIGGOTT
no.
MR LATHAM
when he asked you if you would do that would you in fact,
be the person who made out the receipt in any event?
CHRISTOPHER PIGGOTT
no.
MR LATHAM
so how would the customer end up getting a receipt?
CHRISTOPHER PIGGOTT
to see the boss in the office, Jamie McKenzie.
MR LATHAM
did you in fact go and speak to Mr McKenzie when you had
this request from the customer?
CHRISTOPHER
PIGGOTT
yes.
MR LATHAM
do you remember whether the customer, apart from asking
you to do this, at the same time said anything else?
CHRISTOPHER PIGGOTT
yes.
MR LATHAM
what did he say?
CHRISTOPHER PIGGOTT
he offered me £10.
MR LATHAM
did you get the £10?
CHRISTOPHER
PIGGOTT
no.
MR LATHAM
did you go and see Mr McKenzie?
CHRISTOPHER
PIGGOTT
yes.
MR LATHAM
do you know what happened as a result or did you drop
out of the picture at that point?
CHRISTOPHER
PIGGOTT
I went back to finish the job.
MR LATHAM
do you remember whether it was a morning or afternoon
this happened?
CHRISTOPHER PIGGOTT
it was an afternoon.
MR LATHAM
I think some considerable time later in October you were
asked to go to the forensic science laboratory at Huntingdon
to see a Ford Fiesta motor car, weren't you?
CHRISTOPHER PIGGOTT
yes.
MR LATHAM
A red Fiesta. you had a look at a car - my Lord this of
course is J112 YWR. were you able to say whether in fact
you have ever worked on that car before or can't you remember?
CHRISTOPHER PIGGOTT
no. LATHAM I think you did look at one part of it, however,
didn't you?
CHRISTOPHER PIGGOTT
I did.
MR LATHAM
what did you look at?
CHRISTOPHER PIGGOTT
underneath where I jacked it up.
MR
LATHAM
where you would jack it up?
CHRISTOPHER
PIGGOTT
yes.
MR LATHAM
can you say anything about how many points would there
have been where you put a jack if you were jacking it
up to put four tyres on?
CHRISTOPHER
PIGGOTT
Three points, maybe four points.
MR
LATHAM
did you have a look at the points where you would have
jacked it up if you had been doing the job on that particular
car?
CHRISTOPHER PIGGOTT
yes.
MR LATHAM
did you notice anything about the car you were looking
at at Huntingdon?
CHRISTOPHER PIGGOTT
Yes.
MR LATHAM
Tell us about that?
CHRISTOPHER PIGGOTT
it was marked under the bottom where the jack had been
sitting on the car.
MR LATHAM
thank you, will you wait there, please.
Cross-examined
by MR COWARD
MR COWARD
can I get one thing clear from your evidence. there are
two separate things one is the actual number plate which
there is on a car, the one at the front and one at the
back; and there is a number that would go on an invoice
if you bought some tyres. you and this man, when you were
talking, weren't talking about putting new number plates
on the car, were you?
CHRISTOPHER PIGGOTT
no.
MR COWARD
thank you. it was just that on the document, the gentleman
wanted a different registration number putting on?
CHRISTOPHER PIGGOTT
yes.
MR COWARD
and you, following the proper procedure went to see Mr
McKenzie, for the customer to clear whether that was all
right or not?
CHRISTOPHER PIGGOTT
yes.
MR COWARD
Mr McKenzie did not have any objection to doing that,
did he?
CHRISTOPHER PIGGOTT
I don't think so.
MR COWARD
so far as the paperwork was concerned, did you fill in
any of the details or did Mr McKenzie do all that?
CHRISTOPHER PIGGOTT
Mr McKenzie done it all.
MR COWARD
you actually fitted the tyres, did you?
CHRISTOPHER
PIGGOTT
I'm not sure if I did or not.
MR COWARD
can I suggest one thing, that although the gentleman asked
you to put a different registration number on he did not
offer you any money?
CHRISTOPHER PIGGOTT
yes, he offered me money.
MR COWARD
one further matter do you know who decided what the new
number would be that would go on the invoice?
CHRISTOPHER PIGGOTT
no.
MR COWARD
you can't help about that at all?
CHRISTOPHER
PIGGOTT
no.
MR COWARD
thank you very much. .
MR LATHAM
no re-examination.
MR JUSTICE MOSES
thank you very much.
MR LATHAM
thank you very much indeed
{the witness
withdrew}.
MR LATHAM
Inspector GEORGE BARR please, page 4044. I'm going to
start over the page, my Lord
(GEORGE
BARR sworn)
Examined by MR LATHAM.
MR LATHAM
Your full name, please.
GEORGE BARR
GEORGE BARR, acting Chief Inspector, Cambridgeshire constabulary,
currently stationed at police headquarters, my Lord.
MR LATHAM
Mr Barr I think you along with other officers were in
Soham on the afternoon of Friday, 16th August of last
year, were you not?
GEORGE BARR
that's right yes.
MR LATHAM
I want to ask you about your duties there at around 3
o'clock. I think you went to 5 College Close, didn't you?
GEORGE BARR
I did sir, yes.
MR LATHAM
was there a car parked outside?
GEORGE
BARR
there was.
MR LATHAM
sort sort of car?
GEORGE BARR
it was a Ford Fiesta, a red one.
MR
LATHAM
a red Ford Fiesta. I think you knocked on the front door
of the house, did someone answer?
GEORGE
BARR
Maxine Carr answered the door.
MR LATHAM
and were you in - I take it you were in uniform, were
you?
GEORGE BARR
no , I wasn't, I was in----.
MR LATHAM
were there any uniformed officers with you or not?
GEORGE BARR
no, there weren't, sir.
MR LATHAM
did you have warrant card with you?
GEORGE
BARR
yes, I did.
MR LATHAM
and were you invited into the living room of the house?
GEORGE BARR
we were, yes.
MR LATHAM
was Ian Huntley there when you first went in?
GEORGE BARR
no, Mr Huntley wasn't at the house at the time, he was
working over at the college.
MR LATHAM
did one of your colleagues go over to the college, having
discovered that, to ask him to come back to number 5 ?
GEORGE BARR
yes.
MR LATHAM
I think you indicated that you wanted consent from Mr
Huntley for something to happen at the address, did you
not?
GEORGE BARR
that's correct, sir.
MR LATHAM
what was that?
GEORGE BARR
I was seeking his consent to search the property.
MR LATHAM
did he ask why?
GEORGE BARR
he did.
MR LATHAM
what was the reason that you gave for wanting to search
the address on the Friday, 16th?
GEORGE
BARR
as far as the police were concerned, Mr Huntley was the
last person to see Holly and Jessica. The level of suspicion
against Mr Huntley had increased essentially over the
duration of the inquiry, and it was our desire, from the
investigation point of view, to search the property and
to search his car.
MR LATHAM
did you explain that to him?
GEORGE
BARR
I explained that the level of suspicion had been raised
against him and also that as far as we were concerned
he was the last person to see Holly and Jessica.
MR LATHAM
having explained that to him, what was his attitude to
your searching the house?
GEORGE BARR
he was happy for us to search the house, my Lord.
MR LATHAM
I think nowadays, before a police officer searches a house,
you have to do some form filling , is that right?
GEORGE BARR
that's correct.
MR LATHAM
did you have a relevant form available?
GEORGE
BARR
I did.
MR LATHAM
if you are seeking the consent of a householder for such
an event to take place I think have you to proffer the
form to them and ask them if the will sign the consent
form?
GEORGE BARR
that's correct, yes.
MR LATHAM
Did he sign the consent form?
GEORGE
BARR
he did, yes.
MR LATHAM
I think you mentioned that you had also spoken about his
car as well as the house?
GEORGE BARR
yes.
MR LATHAM
did you explain to him that a trained police search team
would be involved in searching the house?
GEORGE
BARR
I did, yes.
MR LATHAM
I think it was you who in fact later on - yes, one other
thing before I come to that - I think it was your intention
to provide Mr Huntley with a hire vehicle if you were
using his car and he was not going to get it back straight
away?
GEORGE BARR
yes, he was provided with a hire vehicle, my Lord.
MR LATHAM
and it was also your intention to provide a hotel for
Ian Huntley and Maxine Carr for the night if the search
extended well into the evening?
GEORGE
BARR
He was provided with a hotel.
MR LATHAM
I think that was arranged, wasn't it?
GEORGE
BARR
yes.
MR LATHAM
I think you were the person who took possession of a fob
with six keys on it weren't you?
GEORGE
BARR
that's correct, yes.
MR LATHAM
My Lord, that's referred to in the admissions (inaudible)
fitted the Fiesta. thank you, will you wait there, please.
Cross-examined by MR COWARD.
MR COWARD
you say arrangements had been made for him to stay at
a hotel, rather than going back to the house. He was not
told that at number 5, was he?
GEORGE
BARR
No, he wasn't.
MR COWARD
it was much later in the day he was told that?
GEORGE BARR
it was later yes.
MR COWARD
did you ask him if he had got his car keys with him?
GEORGE BARR
he produced his car keys to me. I may well have asked
him if he had them on him.
MR COWARD
did you take, one of your officers take, possession of
the car keys?
GEORGE BARR
I took possession of the car keys, sir.
MR
COWARD
was the Ford Fiesta outside the house at the time you
spoke to Mr Huntley?
GEORGE BARR
it was.
MR COWARD
did the car keys fit the car?
GEORGE
BARR
I never tried the car keys to the vehicle.
MR
COWARD
how was entry gained to the car, in fact?
GEORGE
BARR
I never secured entry to the vehicle.
MR
COWARD
you can't help on that at all?
GEORGE
BARR
no.
MR COWARD
was he told that his car was going to be seized?
GEORGE BARR
yes.
MR COWARD
what sort of search do you say he was told was going to
take place?
GEORGE BARR
he was told trained search officers were going to search
his property.
MR COWARD
were those trained officers already in place ready to
move in?
GEORGE BARR
no.
MR COWARD
how soon after he moved out of the house did they move
in?
GEORGE BARR
sorry I don't know the answer to that question.
MR COWARD
how many moved in?
GEORGE BARR
I don't know the answer to that question.
MR
COWARD
what was your role in this inquiry, Mr Barr, what was
your position?
GEORGE BARR
I was the detective inspector responsible in part for
the inquiries conducted during the investigation.
MR COWARD
were you one of the senior investigating officers?
GEORGE BARR
I was one of the senior investigating officers, basically
responsible for the inquiry team.
MR
COWARD
thank you very much.
MR LATHAM
thank you very much, inspector.
{the witness withdrew} .
MR LATHAM
so the Jury understands, we will be calling some live
evidence from scenes of crimes officer and indeed a scientist
dealing with what was found in relation to the Fiesta
car, but we'll do that at a time we have covered the events
that occurred at the hangar and the search of the house,
because there is an overlap, and I'm not therefore going
to call those witnesses.
my Lord, one of those witnesses who I will be calling
for the purposes of reading this statement - I don't think
there will be any objection if I just refer to one particular
- we'll hear it from the witness on Monday; Susan Blackmore,
who was involved apart from anything else, in searching
5 College Close. for my Lord's reference, page 4052. from
the drawer immediately left of the cooker in the kitchen
she seized SLV 51, which was an Olympus camera.
my Lord, if we then go on to page 4145, a Detective Constable
Mark Picher took that camera and took a film from it to
Lloyds Pharmacy for the film to be processed. my Lord,
over the page at 4145 D, the middle of the page, this
is after the photographs have been processed, Members
of the Jury, I took possession of these exhibits.
I have viewed all the photographs, there are a total of
40 prints, all of which display a date. It is nearly a
year before the events in August last year - that's described
as Maxine Carr sitting in a red Ford Fiesta. my Lord we
are about to see that photograph the Jury has looked at
it before. So that has come from a camera taken from the
kitchen of No. 5, processed on the instructions of Detective
Constable Picher.
MR COWARD
if my learned friend is going to another topic, I could
ask whether he would read - it relates to Inspector Barr's
evidence, the statements of Alan Gill, 4042 and including
and up to 4043 B.
MR LATHAM
my Lord, I will read the statement, 4042. "Detective
Constable Alan Gill, currently employed as Exhibits Officer
on Operation Fincham" - that is of course this inquiry.
"on Friday, 16th August, 2002 I was on duty in the
above capacity at the Soham Village College. while there
I became aware that a Ford Fiesta vehicle registration
number J12 YWR belonging to Ian Huntley was parked outside
number 5 College Close.
At 9.35 hours I confirmed with the superintendent, evidence
relating to the vehicle and the fact I was assisting in
a search for Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. I advised
him that to prevent loss of life I believed it necessary
to enter the Ford Fiesta by force, if necessary. I noted
at the time this was agreed at 20.15 hours, so at 1.15
in the evening we seized the Ford Fiesta, registration
number J112 YWR as my exhibit, from outside 5 College
Close Soham. In the interim, arrangements had been made
for the recovery of the vehicle with L and G Motors.
At 21.10 I forced entry into the vehicle . I searched
the interior of the vehicle and pulled the rear seats
forward and visually checked the boot. within the boot
I saw a pair of scissors which were lying in an open position
on the floor in the boot. The vehicle was removed from
the scene on the rear of the recovery vehicle and covered.
John Peterson was the driver. at 8.55 hours on Saturday
17th August, the next morning, Detective Inspector Barr
handed me six keys on a fob; these were placed in the
exhibit store as DI Barr's exhibit.
Those are the keys to which reference was made about 10
minutes ago, my Lord. on Monday, 19th August, I went to
L and G motors. I signed for the Ford Fiesta and escorted
the same to the forensic science service centre at Huntingdon.
my Lord finally, in this bundle, and that will then cover
the entirety of this section, the part of the evidence,
to be called on Monday. I read the evidence of Helen Linsouth
page 4167.
"I am staff photographer of
the Ely Standard. I have been a professional photographer
for 13 years. at about 12.30 on Thursday, 8th August of
2002, Debbie Davis and I went to Soham to distribute posters
Ely Standard had produced. As I knew the area well, I
delivered my posters to the village shops.
I was aware Debbie was delivering to the houses in the
vicinity of the Village College and sports centre between
14.00 and 15.00 hours. The same day I returned to the
green area outside Soham and from my position had a clear
view of 5 College Close. I now know that was occupied
by Ian Huntley and Maxine Carr. I was with a number of
other photographers and reporters which were used as a
base.
A colleague from the Press Association Brian Farmer, a
reporter, drew my attention to 5 College Close and, as
a result of what he told me, I was able to take one photograph
of a person I now know to be Ian Huntley sitting in the
driving seat of a red Ford Fiesta J112 YWR. the driver's
door was open and he was sitting sideways with his legs
out on the driveway. I saw him look directly at me. then
he leaned back out of view behind the door pillar. I was
unable to take any further photographs of him . My Lord,
that is the photograph referred into that statement. My
Lord, that is that file.
MR JUSTICE
MOSES
yes, thank you.
MR LATHAM
my Lord, we move on to file 5 which relates to the hangar
- my Lord, not specifically relating in fact to the hangar
- I simply read a very short part of the statement of
Julie Knight at page 5003. she says at the beginning of
her statement she is employed by Soham Village College
as a teacher, " ... and my current position is deputy
director of technology."
it is in the middle of page 5003, my Lord "I remember
a conversation I had with Ian Huntley during the period
of 24th June to 5th July 2002 in which I advised him on
how to properly sterilise floors as, in the view of staff,
the kitchen and food rooms were not being cleaned properly.
I told him that the best way to do it was to use bleach,
mixed with boiling water, so that it evaporated and did
not need wiping." Constable NEIL WINDSOR, please?
NEIL WINDSOR
1188 NEIL WINDSOR from Cambridgeshire Constabulary, working
at Parkside Police Station.
MR LATHAM
are you trained as a search officer in fact?
NEIL WINDSOR
yes, I am.
MR LATHAM
I think on Monday, 5th August you became aware of the
disappearance of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, didn't
you?
NEIL WINDSOR
That's correct, my Lord.
MR LATHAM
did you volunteer to assist on 6th August and go eventually
to Soham, to work as a search officer?
NEIL
WINDSOR
that's correct.
MR LATHAM
I think you started in the area of St Andrew's School
and moved on to the Village College, and you were directed
to the Lodeside area of the college, were you not?
NEIL WINDSOR
correct, yes.
MR LATHAM
who seemed to be in charge of that area when you got there
which I think was sometime during the course of the morning,
wasn't it.
NEIL WINDSOR
Yes, in the morning.
MR LATHAM
was there an officer obviously in charge of the searching
that you dealt with?
NEIL WINDSOR
Sergeant Barker I believe was in charge.
MR
LATHAM
right. do you remember a time when you first met the caretaker,
Mr Huntley?
NEIL WINDSOR
I believe that was over at the actual college itself.
MR LATHAM
well, when you say, "the actual college itself"?
NEIL WINDSOR
the hard standing area to the college in front.
MR LATHAM
did he have something with him, a large bunch of keys?
NEIL WINDSOR
yes, to the best of my recollection, my Lord, he had a
large bunch of keys with numerous keys, about 30, on a
large ring.
MR LATHAM
did you start searching the Lodeside gym at around half
past six that evening?
NEIL WINDSOR
I believe so, my Lord.
MR LATHAM
what happened within a relatively short period of you
starting the search?
NEIL WINDSOR
The sergeant took a phone ball on his mobile phone and
I believe we were recalled back to Ely Police station.
MR LATHAM
Where was Mr Huntley at that stage?
NEIL
WINDSOR
To the best of my recollection he met us just tside the
front of the gym when we spoke to the sergeant.
MR LATHAM
how long had you been searching for when you were recalled
to Ely?
NEIL WINDSOR
I can't recall but not very long.
MR
LATHAM
do you remember something being called?
NEIL
WINDSOR
I didn't engage him in conversation.
MR
LATHAM
did you hear him saying anything, what did you hear him
say?
NEIL WINDSOR
he asked why we were returning, calling off the search
so quickly.
MR LATHAM
you came back the Wednesday morning, I think, didn't you?
NEIL WINDSOR
correct.
MR LATHAM
Did you see Mr Huntley again on that morning, shortly
after arriving on the site?
NEIL WINDSOR
that's correct, my Lord .
MR LATHAM
were you interested in anywhere in particular fairly early
on in the searching on the Wednesday?
NEIL
WINDSOR
on the Wednesday we were looking at searching the (inaudible)
areas of the college.
MR LATHAM
was there any particular area you searched, however?
NEIL WINDSOR
towards the hangar.
MR LATHAM
right. did you have any conversation with Mr Huntley about
that building?
NEIL WINDSOR
myself, no, my Lord. I overheard a conversation with him.
MR LATHAM
what did you overhear said by Mr Huntley or a police officer
to Mr Huntley?
NEIL WINDSOR
a question over whether the hangar building was alarmed.
MR LATHAM
what the his was response?
NEIL WINDSOR
To the best of my recollection, my Lord, he hesitated
and said he believed it was alarmed.
MR
LATHAM
it was alarmed?
NEIL WINDSOR
it was alarmed, yes.
MR LATHAM
did you see just Mr Huntley as a caretaker or did you
see anyone else?
NEIL WINDSOR
Mr Gee, I believe name is, came and joined us as well.
MR LATHAM
did you understand that the hangar at this stage was in
fact locked or unlocked?
NEIL WINDSOR
at that stage I don't think the question was asked, certainly
didn't hear, my Lord.
MR LATHAM
what happened shortly after the conversation was directed
at the subject matter of the hangar?
NEIL
WINDSOR
myself and PC Tee went off and searched various areas
of the college and the hanger.
MR LATHAM
it is the hangar I am interested in, how did you get access
to the hangar?
NEIL WINDSOR
Mr Gee came with us and had some keys and I believe he
unlocked the Yale-style main lock to the hangar door and
the padlock was already unlocked and on the clasp, my
Lord.
MR LATHAM
did Mr Huntley say anything in relation to that process
while the hangar was being unlocked?
NEIL
WINDSOR
he wasn't with us at that time, my Lord.
MR
LATHAM
when you searched the hangar, what was, as it were, your
brief, what was the task?
NEIL WINDSOR
we were briefed to initially search the hangar to look
for the missing girls and to make a rapid search to see
if they were in there, if they were hidden, trapped in
y way, we would find them quickly. .
MR
LATHAM
we appreciate there was nothing to be seen?
NEIL WINDSOR
correct, my Lord.
MR LATHAM
do you recollect a conversation later on in the day when
Mr Huntley made an observation about something while he
was somewhere near the Beechurst site?
NEIL
WINDSOR
I believe that Mr Huntley spoke to us about the previous
caretaker who had worked at the college.
MR
LATHAM
what was he saying?
NEIL WINDSOR
it was initiated by Mr Huntley, and suggested the previous
caretaker had left under dubious circumstances after a
possible relationship with a pupil at the college.
MR LATHAM
indeed, I think you became involved at a later stage in
searches after Ian Huntley and Maxine Carr had been arrested,
didn't you?
NEIL WINDSOR
that's correct, my Lord, yes.
MR LATHAM
were you working at 5 College Close on a number of days
during September?
NEIL WINDSOR
that is correct, my Lord, yes.
MR LATHAM
one of many officers involved, I need not ask you about
the detail of that. thank you.
Cross-examined
by MR COWARD
MR COWARD
officer, on the 7th August, the Wednesday, you were asked,
in relation to that, whether there was a building on the
Soham site that you were particularly interested in or
words to that effect. there wasn't a particular building
on the site that you were interested in in particular
on the 7th August at all, was there?
NEIL
WINDSOR
we were interested in all of the buildings, including
the hangar building that was mentioned.
MR
COWARD
no one building was of any more significance to you when
you began the search than any other, was it?
NEIL WINDSOR
That's correct, my Lord.
MR COWARD
tell us where else you searched, where do you begin searching?
NEIL WINDSOR
from the initial - on the Wednesday of the searching.
MR COWARD
yes?
NEIL WINDSOR
on the Wednesday we searched throughout the entire rooms
of the college building, the main building itself, there
were literally----
MR COWARD
where did you start?
NEIL WINDSOR
we started at the gym; again, we went into the gym for
a second time, we had been called away previously prior
to finishing the search.
MR COWARD
didn't you start at St Andrew's School?
NEIL
WINDSOR
not on the Wednesday, no, we actually went into the main
college building area, my Lord.
MR COWARD
your memory is you went into, do you now know it to be
Lodeside or Beechurst?
NEIL WINDSOR
I'm afraid with the length of time that has passed, it
is difficult for me to remember the exact names of the
areas of the college, it was the main college building,
the actual large area in front of the tennis courts, my
Lord.
MR COWARD
and that search took sometime?
NEIL
WINDSOR
indeed, yes.
MR COWARD
Did you search both the big sites, Lodeside and Beechurst?
NEIL WINDSOR
I took part in searching various building, myself and
PC Tee were separated from the main groups of archers;
we went with Mr Gee and did a separate search. .
MR COWARD
Amongst all the places you did search was the building
you now know to be the hangar?
NEIL
WINDSOR
that's correct, yes.
MR COWARD
nothing happened in relation to the hangar that day that
made it any more significant than any other building you
had been in, was there?
NEIL WINDSOR
that's correct.
MR COWARD
I have a statement dated 29th October. Is that the first
time you were asked about the hangar?
NEIL
WINDSOR
my first recollection of the hangar was when a key was
discovered, my Lord.
MR COWARD
yes. you had earlier made a statement, hadn't you?
NEIL WINDSOR
that's correct,.
MR COWARD
Mr Windsor, on 30th August, about seeing a bunch of keys
with a green tag on at, 5 College Close?
NEIL
WINDSOR
that's correct, one or two keys along with a separate
one.
MR COWARD
on 30th August you are not asked anything about any search
of the hangar, are you?
NEIL WINDSOR
that's correct.
MR COWARD
That's not until 29th October?
NEIL
WINDSOR
that's correct, my Lord.
MR COWARD
of course by 29th October the hangar was a very significant
building, wasn't it?
NEIL WINDSOR
that's correct, my Lord.
MR COWARD
it had been on the 30th August when you spoke about finding
the keys or seeing the keys?
NEIL WINDSOR
that's correct, my Lord.
MR COWARD
you knew, by 30th August, those keys you had seen in number
5 were actually keys which fitted the lock to the PE side
of the hangar, didn't you?
NEIL WINDSOR
Yes, but I found the keys previously to that and made
a pocket notebook entry to that effect.
MR
COWARD
I am not doubting that you did, but by the time you made
that statement you knew the significance of what you had
found?
NEIL WINDSOR
at the time I made the statement, yes, I knew the significance.
MR COWARD
could I ask you to think again, officer, about the one
answer you have given to the Jury, the evidence you have
given so far is that when you got to the building that
turned out to be the hangar, Mr Huntley was with you?
NEIL WINDSOR
no, my Lord Mr Gee was with us when we initially searched
the hangar, myself and PC Tee. Mr Huntley was not present
at the hangar.
MR COWARD
had you spoken to Mr Huntley about security system of
the colleges before you got to the hangar?
NEIL
WINDSOR
spoken to, with reference to the alams in my presence
but I didn't personally speak to him.
MR
COWARD
where were you when you had a conversation about which
buildings were alarmed?
NEIL WINDSOR
it was on the tennis courts just adjacent to Mr Huntley's
house when we initially met him in the morning.
MR COWARD
what do you say Mr Huntley said to you about the status
of the hangar?
NEIL WINDSOR
it wasn't to myself directly. He said to the search team
leader when asked which buildings were alarmed and were
not alarmed. He made a visual movement with his hand along
the line of the college indicating various areas the had
may or may not have been alarmed. When the question was
raised as to the hangar to the best of my recollection
he hesitated then said "Yes, I believe it is alarmed."
.
MR COWARD
it is alarmed?
NEIL WINDSOR
"is alarmed", yes, my Lord.
MR
COWARD
so when you got to the hangar, who was given the job of
switching the alarms off?
NEIL WINDSOR
we approached the hangar and went in with the key.
MR COWARD
did the alarm go off.
NEIL WINDSOR
No, it did not.
MR COWARD
there was a simple reason for that, wasn't there, the
was not an alarm to go off was there?
NEIL
WINDSOR
I don't know, my Lord, I don't know the status of the
entire college. It may have been switched off some time
prior to us going to the hangar. I'm not aware of the
alarm status of the entire college.
MR
COWARD
I suggest to you, officer, and I put it very bluntly,
that Ian Huntley told anyone who was there as part of
the search team, which buildings were alarmed and which
weren't, and he knew that the hangar wasn't alarmed and
he told you it wasn't alarmed, simple as that?
NEIL WINDSOR
well I don't believe so. to the best of my recollection,
when I made the statement he said he believed the hangar
was alarmed.
MR COWARD
that the best of your recollection on 29th October?
NEIL WINDSOR
correct.
MR COWARD
my Lord, thank you.
MR LATHAM
I have no re-examination.
MR JUSTICE
MOSES
thank you very much
{the witness withdrew}.
MR LATHAM
my Lord, police superintendent Simon Edens, page 5013
A, it is not on the chronology, but the Jury may like
to remind themselves where it fits in, it is page 11,
dealing with Wednesday, 7th.
MR COWARD
sorry to interrupt, could I ask at, my client's request,
for a very short break.
MR JUSTICE MOSES
do you want us all to stop?
MR COWARD
my client is happy simply to go below and us continue
then I am happy to do that.
MR LATHAM
my Lord, I was going to ask for a five minute break.
{short adjournment}.
MR
JUSTICE MOSES
yes, MR LATHAM.
MR LATHAM
my Lord, I had just started to read the evidence of police
superintendent Simon William Eden, page 50. 13 A. "Wednesday
7th August last year I was on duty engaged on Operation
Fincham. At 4 p.m. that day, I held a press conference
at Soham Village College. The conference was held in the
school hall and I estimate there were around 50 journalists
and camera operators present.
Prior to this conference, I had discussed and agreed the
contents of the press release for the media office representatives
with a media office representative. the press conference
was primarily to thank the public for active support searching
for Holly and Jessica, and to ask the public to allow
trained officers and specialists to continue the searches.
During the press conference I said words to the following
effect 'In this vein we have brought in additional search
experts from other forces to supplement our own officers
expertise. Trained police dogs have been helping along
with specialist search teams, who have been checking the
water ways.
Over 60 specialist search team officers have been on site
today and some of these officers have been involved in
other high profile inquiries which has given us invaluable
expert knowledge on such aspects. The force helicopter
has been used extensively over the three days since the
girls were reported missing. As part of that, they made
use of their thermal imaging equipment. We have also enlisted
the support of voluntary experts within the search and
rescue field. We know that local people are still anxious
to help us in the search for Holly and gained entry to
the house at 18.25 hours.
I went into the house and turned immediately left into
the front room, where I assisted in drawing the curtains
at the front window and the patio door windows. Other
officers went to other parts of the house to draw the
curtains and we then all assembled in the hallway."
my Lord, it is at that stage that the search began. at
the bottom of the page "my immediate response on
seeing the house was to think how clean it all was, there
was no dust, no dog hair the house looked like a show
house and sterile." he goes on to say, (I have now
gone back to 5016, the bottom of the page, my Lord,)
"The search was completed at 19.35 hours. We
then went to the college to help out with searching and
arrived there at about 20.40. To carry out these searches
we put on our protective white outersuits, gloves and
foot covers. we worked for a time during the evening and
he was working with a Police Constable Flatly and after
searching in the science block----", now two thirds
of the way down the page, "----I returned with Constable
Flatly to the community lounge, this would be 22.5 in
the evening. I then asked the officer in charge of the
search if the hangar had been searched.
The hangar was not shown on the map. I could not point
that location. I went and got the caretaker who had earlier
mentioned it." my Lord that, of course, was not Mr
Huntley. "At that stage the caretaker then pointed
it out on the map and its location drawn in situated at
the end of Lodeside block. I asked to be taken account
with this search. I was allocated a set of keys, I believe
four on a green plastic fob, with a white paper insert
marked "hangar." I believe these keys were retained
from 5 College Close.
Those of course are the keys we have seen before. At 2300
hours in company with Constable Flatly I went to the hangar.
The hangar is a steel framed building with metal sides
and a roof, approximately 60 feet long by 24 feet wide
and 26 feet high at its apex. First we went to a single
door facing the Lodeside block, the largest key on the
fob fitted, but couldn't be turned. None of the other
keys worked.
We then went to a second single door facing on to the
playing field. To the left of this door is also a roller
door. The single door had a Yale lock and a padlock on
it. the key I had on the fob unlocked them. I opened the
door and turned the lights on using the switches to the
left of the door. I could see this area was used to store
sports equipment. I could also see a partition wall approximately
13 feet tall, separating the building in two and separating
the first door we tried from this entrance.
I entered the building and went to the left along the
wall towards the roller door, passing some black bags
as I went. I followed the line of the building to where
a fridge stood on a table over the fridge contained ice
packs. Doing the same route I had entered by passing Constable
Flatly who was searching the black bags. I then went to
the right of the right of the door, about six feet to
where there was a series of about five yellow bins.
These bins were approximately 3 feet tall and two feet
in diameter. I looked in the first bin as it had the least
rubbish in it. I lifted the black bag out, checked it
then put it back in the same bin. I then transferred the
rubbish from the second bin into the first, checking it
as I did so. I then moved to the third bin, which had
a bin bag containing rubbish inside. I lifted a black
bin bag out which was knotted, checked it and placed it
into the second bin. I then checked the black bin bag
that was lining the bin.
This was empty. I removed it. I looked into this bin and
could see something in the bottom. I bent over into the
bin I picked up something that felt like cloth. I pulled
it out holding it by the corners. I could see it was the
remains of a red T-shirt. I could see black and white
writing on the T-shirt. I could see lettering and a number.
it was obvious the letter spelt Beckham and the number
was 7. I could smell a strong smell of smoke and it was
obvious the T-shirt had been scorched.
I held this up for Constable Flatly to see. I again looked
into the bin and could see further red material with similar
writing and three small white training shoes. From the
information I had been given as to clothing the two missing
girls were wearing, I was positive in my mind that this
was their clothes. I placed the T-shirt back into the
bin.
I then walked to the door and waited just outside. Constable
Flatly went for assistance. The time finding these items
was 23.05. shortly after leaving, Constable flatly returned
with Sergeant Mark Harrison from Bedfordshire police and
one other. I was asked what I had seen, I then again lifted
the red T-shirt from the bin to show Sergeant Harrison.
I again replaced the item back into the bin and we all
left the building. We then waited for exhibit officers
to attend and my clothing was taken from me. That's the
gloves over boots, white overalls. At this stage Constable
Flatly was in possession of the keys." over the page,
my Lord, he gives slightly more detail of the condition
of the bin bags. 5021.
I will start at the beginning of the first paragraph,
the new paragraph on the page "I then moved to the
bin on my left, bin two here has already dealt with bin
1. From this I removed a bin bag I believe was knotted
I did not open or inspect the inside of the contents but
felt the outside for significant shapes, specifically
body parts. I then placed this into bin 1 th the other
bin bag which was underneath. I also inspected the bottom
of bin 2 which again had nothing significant of note.
I then again moved to my left to search bin 3.
I saw that there was a black bin liner which appeared
a quarter full which was knotted at the top, a single
knot and was sitting on the top of the bin. such as it
had not been pushed down. so as to give the appearance
it was actually full. I lifted the bag out which was light
and again felt the outside for shapes, there was nothing
significant so I placed it in bin 2. I then looked into
the bin liner which was lining the metal bin within the
yellow shell.
The bin liner had been fitted correctly with the edges
lapping over the metal interior bin and had been opened
and spread inside the bin. the bag appeared empty. I then
pulled the liner up and to one side to examine underneath,
at this time there was a strong smell of smoke. As I looked
further I saw a mound of rags in the bottom." my
Lord, that takes us - no, there is one other statement
I need to read. Valerie Fryer, page 1067, my Lord.
I need not read it all, this part of the statement of
Valerie Fryer, an environmental archaeologist. In September
2002, I was asked by Cambridgeshire police service to
use my skills in Operation Fincham. I was asked to carry
out flotation and sifting of deposits collected from the
deposition site of the two victims." my Lord that
of course the site the jury went to. "the aim of
this exercise is to retrieve any article that might be
pertinent to the investigation."
She said in introduction to her statement flotation and
sifting are a routinely used in archaeology for the extraction
of small artifacts, biological remains, and other items
of interest from soil and sediments. The techniques are
particularly useful for retrieving objects from grave
fills. "for this reason I was asked to process deposits
obtained by Cambridgeshire police service from the deposition
site in Operation Fincham."
My Lord, she then describes, and I do not intend to read
it out, unless I am asked, the methods which effectively
involve taking the samples removed by the police from
scenes of crimes officers from the deposition site, taking
those samples and washing them through water in a laboratory,
in order to collect the bits and pieces which are contained
within the soil. my Lord, at the very end, during the
course of her work, looking at page 507, she recovered
a number of textile fragments, in particular VAF12 and
3, those textile fragments which were referred to by scientists,
who later examined the clothing we have just heard reference
to My Lord, the witness I have to call next, who is one
of the only witnesses I want to call to give evidence
before Helen Davies.
she is going to go through in detail all the items found
in the bin. We have a series of admissions dealing with
the clothing, to which girl each item of clothing relates,
but we will need to look in some detail at that material
using photographs rather than the original items. it is
going take a little - I am ready to adduce the evidence.
MR JUSTICE MOSES
but you would rather do it on Monday?
MR
LATHAM
it has been rather a long day.
MR JUSTICE
MOSES
let us do it on Monday. that is not going to interrupt
your timetable if you do it on Monday.
MR
LATHAM
my Lord, no. To assist the Jury, so they understand where
we are going, we are moving on very much to the scientists,
and they will be hearing from several over Monday and
Tuesday.
MR JUSTICE MOSES
very well, ladies and gentlemen, we'll stop now. you have
three days off. Don't worry that that will affect your
grasp of what is important; you will find that thinking
about other things will make it much fresher and easier
when you pick it up again on Monday. Remember the warning
I gave you. You have three days off now, try and forget
about this case and then you can come refreshed on Monday.
Thank you very much.
Hearing adjourned
- will resume on Monday
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