09/12/95 - STATEMENT of MALCOLM CURNICK

NAME: MALCOLM CURNICK
AGE / DATE OF BIRTH: 56 25081939

Who states:- This statement consisting of 004 pages, each signed by me, is true to the best of my knowledge and belief and I make it knowing that if it is tendered in evidence I shall be liable to prosecution if I have wilfully stated in it anything which I know to be false or do not believe to be true.

DATED: 091295
M CURNICK (SIGNED)

I live at The Coach House which is situated in Main Road, Rettendon. I live at this address with my wife Christine and my son Jason. I have lived here for ten years since 000085. From my sitting room there is a window which overlooks sloping fields leading down to Workhouse Lane which is a bridle path leading directly off Main Road Rettendon.

Workhouse Lane itself cannot actually be seen from this window. I make this statement regarding a vehicle which I saw recently. Unfortunately I cannot place exactly which day this incident occurred but I can confirm that it was either Tuesday 051295 or Wednesday 061295.

About 0815 hours on one of the above days I went out of my front door in order to go out to my van a large Sherpa Crewcab reg F86RJD in order to go to work. From the lane outside my house I looked down towards Workhouse Lane. From where I stood I could see a vehicle parked off Workhouse Lane I would describe this vehicle as a white estate car.

I am not sure what sort of vehicle this was but my feelings are that it was a Vauxhall estate. I could not see the registration number. I would describe the position of this vehicle as follows. If you travel down Workhouse Lane from its junction with Main Road Rettendon, after about one hundred yards Workhouse Lane bends to the left.

Just as you go around this bend, on the right there is a short unmade road which after about one hundred yards leads to a metal gate which secures acces to the fields owned by Peter THEOBALD a neighbouring farmer. Along the right hand side of this unmade road are two gates.

The first is about twenty yards from the junction with Workhouse Lane and the second gate is about a further sixty yards on the same side. The first gate secures access to fields owned by Mr FAUX and the second gate secures access to fields owned by Sir Robert TELFORD.

The white estate vehicle I saw was parked in such a way that the offside of the vehicle was partly visible to me through a gap in bushes. I can say that I could only see the rear offside of the vehicle, but can say that the front end of the vehicle would have been about twenty yards from the metal gate which I call the fishermans gate.

This is Mr THEOBALD'S gate. I thought it was slightly unusual that there should be a vehicle at this location at this time of the morning. I could not see the registration of the vehicle as it was too far away. At this time I also saw a male person.

This person was walking towards the fishermans gate along a track that is on Peter THEOBALD'S land and leads between the gate and the fishing lakes. When I looked I would estimate the male to be about seventy five yards from the gate.

This male had a hat and a long coat on but I cannot remember any further details about him. I can add that there was a dog with him. I cannot say what sort of dog this was but it was a medium size dog. I do not know if the male was connected to the white car as I did not keep watch to see where the male went.

I then went to my van and went to work. I cannot say where or when the white car left the track. I would estimate the distance at which I viewed this vehicle was between two hundred and two hundred and fifty yards. The lighting conditions at the time was good daylight enhanced by the brightness of the snow on the ground.

The weather was fine but cold. My view was slightly unobstructed by bushes near the car and I describe only the rear of the vehicle. I wish to add that during the course of this statement I recall that the day which I saw this vehicle was about 0815 hours on the morning of Wednesday 071295.

I remember that this is the case because on Tuesday 060000 I needed to use my car to go to Pitsea and therefore did not go to my van. I am now certain of these facts. I am happy to attend court should it become necessary and give evidence relating to the above.

M CURNICK SIGNED
STATEMENT TAKEN PLACE:
TIME:
DATE: 091295
WITNESS TO SIGNATURE:
OFFICERS SIGNATURE: PC2449 SNELLEKSZ