13/06/91 - STATEMENT of JEANNETTE JACKQUELINE TAPP

STATEMENT OF JEANNETTE JACKQUELINE TAPP
ADDRESS:
AGE / DATE OF BIRTH: 24 15061966
OCCUPATION: HOUSE KEEPING ASSISTANT

THIS STATEMENT, CONSISTING OF 7 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.

DATE 130691
SIGNED JEANNETTE TAPP
SIGNATURE WITNESSED BY

I reside at an address known to police in the LAMBETH, SE1 area of LONDON, I am employed as a Housekeeping Assistant at the CHURCHILL CLINIC, 80 LAMBETH ROAD, LONDON, SE1, a position that I have held since 230483. My job entails cleaning and floor maintenance within the Clinic and the staff residency.

In 000087 I Moved into the Clinic Residency and since 000089 have occupied the same room, which is situated on the first floor of building 60 LAMBETH ROAD. Since working at the hospital I have come to know another staff member by the name of John SHAUGHNESSY.

I first met him in about 000087 when he was employed at the Clinic as a porter, He also lived in the residency in the room next to mine and subsequently we became good friends. I first met John's girlfriend Alison in about 000089 when she used to visit him at the residency.

At first we never spoke, but she always smiled and eventually we became friends, but not close, I would say that from the outset John was totally infatuated by Alison and spent all his time talking about her and they appeared very much in love. I first met Michelle TAYLOR at my engagement party in 000089, she had been working at the Clinic for some time already, but this was the first occasion we spoke and got to know each other.

At this time she was living with her parents, but she also later moved into the residency in about 000590. Michelle and I became good friends and spent quite a bit of time together, and I also got to know her sister Lisa from when she used to visit her at the Clinic.

Michelle spent most of her evenings with John and Alison, either staying in his room or going out with them four or five nights a week and most weekends. If she wasn't with them she'd visit her Mothers, that was the total of her social life really.

At first I thought the three of them being always together was a little strange, but I suppose I got used to it and it never seemed to cause any animosity between Michelle and Alison, in fact, Michelle even travelled to IRELAND to be a guest at their wedding.

Before John went out with Alison I've only ever known him to have one other girlfriend and she was called Natalie, I believe. This would have been a few months prior to Alison coming on the scene in about 000088/000089, I recall that this girl, who was from John's home town in IRELAND, came to stay for about a week in the hospital residency in his room.

When John started going out with Alison she stayed with him at the residency most weekends and about 3 months before they got Married, she moved in permanently and resided there until they both moved out in about 000391. They always appeared to get on well and I can only recall them arguing on the odd occasion and that was normally when John was having one of his migraines, which Alison sometimes found difficult to cope with.

I have only known Michelle to have two relationships with Men. The first was a boy called Shane, she went out with him for about three to four Months in 000090. I don't know anything more about him apart from the fact that he had a suntan and a flashy white car.

The other boy was Tim LANCASTER, who also lives at the residency and is a theatre nurse at the Clinic this, however, only lasted about a week because she wouldn't sleep with him. The only other boy she was close to was John, but as far as I know that was just as friends, As well as his other duties at the Clinic.

John was employed as the gardener and was responsible for the upkeep of the grounds and internal flower arrangements. Every Monday evening Michelle used to assist John with the flowers for the hospital, either one of them going to the flower stall run by 'Buster' at WATERLOO STATION, and buying the flowers for display in the building.

They would normally start this work at about 1800 and finish at about 2000, depending on how much they had to do. Michelle told me that John never paid her for this work, but that she did it to gain further experience in flower arrangement as it would assist her in her future catering career.

She had given up full time work in the Accounts Department at the hospital in order that she could pursue this venture, and from about 000391 was employed by the Clinic only on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday as a part time cleaner.

I have been asked if I ever saw scratches on Michelle's face at any time, and I can state that she does have a scar on her cheek where she fell in her room and cut herself on the dressing table. This happened in early 000091. I believe she also used to get scratches when she did 'Jujitsu', but I don't believe she has done this for some time.

However, she was apparently quite skilled at this. On Monday 030691 I began work at 0800 and finished at 1500. I recall seeing John at work that day and, in fact, spoke to him at about between 1000 and 1200 in the stores office, After work I returned to my flat and got changed and then went out at about 1520 in order to go shopping.

I returned to my flat at about 1700 and at about 1715 Michelle and Lisa visited me in my room. We sat and talked until about 1800 and then Michelle left, saying that she was going to meet John to do the flowers. Myself and Lisa then stayed in the room until about 1930 when we both left and went over to the Clinic to see if Michelle wanted anything from the shops.

At the Clinic, Lisa went inside to see Michelle and John whilst I waited in the foyer. I saw Michelle through the door, but I didn't see John, although I think I heard his voice. Lisa and I then went to the shop and then returned to my room at about 2000.

A couple of Minutes later Michelle came to my room in order to have a cigarette. She's funny about smoking and most people, including John, don't know that she smokes. She then said that she was going to drop John at his house in her car, she drives a white estate car that she bought this year for the catering business.

She left at about 2015 and myself and Lisa remained in my room. At between 2030 to 2100 I heard 'Les' the porter shouting up to my room from outside saying that there was a 'phone call for Lisa or Michelle on the communal telephone in building sixty two.

We both went to the 'phone and Lisa picked it up and indicated that it was her mother. I didn't hear what was said, but at the conclusion of the call Lisa, who was by now in tears, turned to me and said, "Alison's dead," The internal 'phone then rang and I picked it up and it was Michelle calling from outside the hospital somewhere via the switchboard.

She asked to speak to Lisa and I handed the 'phone to her, there was another conversation and Lisa became visibly paler and then, when she replaced the receiver she said, "She's been killed, she's been killed." I then took her back to my room and tried to calm her down as she had become near hysterical.

I can recall that when I last saw Michelle that evening she was wearing green trousers. I believe, when I saw John during the day, he was wearing a dark navy blue or black suit with a collar and tie, I would add that it was quite normal for Michelle to take John home on a Monday evening after they had completed their work on the flowers, I recall the quickest time she ever completed this trip was in about half an hour.

Something else that I feel I should mention is that a girl by the name of Theresa O'SULLIVAN, about two or three weeks ago, was spreading a rumour in the Clinic that Michelle and John were having an affair. I know that Michelle confronted her about this, but I wasn't present when she did. To my knowledge this allegation was false.

I would be willing to attend court and give evidence if required.

JEANNETTE TAPP SIGNED
STATEMENT TAKEN PLACE:
TIME:
DATE:
WITNESS TO SIGNATURE:
OFFICERS SIGNATURE: KIM WESTON DC