Sarah Wellgreen: Jury visit home where Portsmouth beautician allegedly spent 'last moments alive'

JURORS in the trial of the man accused of murdering a mother-of-five have visited the home where she allegedly spent her last moments alive.
By ron Melton
Published 2nd Oct 2019, 21:15 BST
Sarah Jane Wellgreen, who was last seen on 9 October.Sarah Jane Wellgreen, who was last seen on 9 October.
Sarah Jane Wellgreen, who was last seen on 9 October.

Portsmouth beautician Sarah Wellgreen, 46, was last seen at a four-bedroom property she shared with her former partner, Ben Lacomba in Bazes Shaw, New Ash Green, Kent in October last year.

Lacomba, a 39-year-old taxi driver, denies murdering her on October 9 – a day before her disappearance.

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Jury members at Woolwich Crown Court, London, went to the house today with judge Christopher Kinch, prosecution and defence lawyers and the court clerk and ushers.

Police officers search an area near the Orchard Theatre in Dartford, Kent on October 26, 2018, as part of the investigation into the disappearance of mother-of-five Sarah Wellgreen. Picture: Gareth Fuller/PA WirePolice officers search an area near the Orchard Theatre in Dartford, Kent on October 26, 2018, as part of the investigation into the disappearance of mother-of-five Sarah Wellgreen. Picture: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire
Police officers search an area near the Orchard Theatre in Dartford, Kent on October 26, 2018, as part of the investigation into the disappearance of mother-of-five Sarah Wellgreen. Picture: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire

They were taken through the isolated route Lacomba is alleged to have driven his taxi after killing her in order to dispose of her body, which has not been found.

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Jury told beautician mother-of-five was 'murdered by former partner'

The prosecution say his Vauxhall Zafira – with a distinctive ‘All Night Cars’ logo on the side – was captured on eight cameras between 2.13am and 4.27am as he drove away from his home, out into Hartley Bottom, toward the village of Stansted, and back.

The prosecution say Lacomba murdered her in a ‘premeditated and calculated act’ and may have been motivated by the potential loss of his property and resulting limited contact with the children.

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The group, escorted by Kent Police, arrived at the leafy village of small rows of terraced houses and detached bungalows in two blacked-out minibuses shortly before 11am. Lacomba did not attend. 

Prosecutor Alison Morgan told the party Ms Wellgreen's vehicle was parked outside the side of their house and  pointed out the home CCTV system Lacomba is accused of switching off.

The jury went on foot to a neighbour's property, where Lacomba is said to have asked about its security cameras.

They walked two routes from the house to a car park where Lacomba, say the prosecution, ‘unusually and quite deliberately’ chose to park his taxi on October 9.

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The jury were also taken back on the minibuses to trace the route Lacomba is alleged to have driven.

Ms Morgan told them: ‘We will stop at each of the eight CCTV cameras which the prosecution say catch the defendant's car on that route in both directions, so out and in.’

For the next hour the group were taken along Church Road and the outskirts of New Ash Green, into the narrow, winding lanes of Hartley Hill, Hartley Bottom Road, past an area known as Cuckold’s Corner, on to Pease Hill and then toward Stansted along Plaxdale Green Road.

The trial continues tomorrow.