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| Sian Blake's partner killed her after she decided to leave him, court told | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A former EastEnders actor and her two young sons were brutally battered and stabbed to death by her partner after she decided to leave him, a court has heard. | |
| Arthur Simpson-Kent killed Sian Blake, 43, and their sons, Zachary, eight, and four-year-old Amon, in the family home before burying their bodies in the back garden. | Arthur Simpson-Kent killed Sian Blake, 43, and their sons, Zachary, eight, and four-year-old Amon, in the family home before burying their bodies in the back garden. |
| The Old Bailey was told that Blake, the family’s main breadwinner, had recently been diagnosed with terminal motor neurone disease. | The Old Bailey was told that Blake, the family’s main breadwinner, had recently been diagnosed with terminal motor neurone disease. |
| This, along with her “unhealthy” relationship with Simpson-Kent, led her to plan to take the children and move back in with her mother. | This, along with her “unhealthy” relationship with Simpson-Kent, led her to plan to take the children and move back in with her mother. |
| The court heard that Blake’s condition had weakened her arms and hands to the extent that she would not have been able to fight off an attacker. | The court heard that Blake’s condition had weakened her arms and hands to the extent that she would not have been able to fight off an attacker. |
| Mark Heywood QC, prosecuting, told the court that Simpson-Kent had carried out the premeditated attack on three victims who had been “unable to defend themselves” after becoming aware of Blake’s plan. | Mark Heywood QC, prosecuting, told the court that Simpson-Kent had carried out the premeditated attack on three victims who had been “unable to defend themselves” after becoming aware of Blake’s plan. |
| Medical examinations showed all three victims had been hit on the head and then stabbed in the neck or throat. | Medical examinations showed all three victims had been hit on the head and then stabbed in the neck or throat. |
| Heywood said: “The evidence suggests, and this much is not disputed, that, on the night of 14 December 2015, the defendant killed each of them in turn with heavy, deliberate, repeated blows with a blunt instrument not since recovered – and then by cutting and stabbing them with a bladed weapon in a way that ensured their deaths. | Heywood said: “The evidence suggests, and this much is not disputed, that, on the night of 14 December 2015, the defendant killed each of them in turn with heavy, deliberate, repeated blows with a blunt instrument not since recovered – and then by cutting and stabbing them with a bladed weapon in a way that ensured their deaths. |
| “He then covered his crimes by moving, wrapping and burying each of them, and cleaning and partially painting his home. | “He then covered his crimes by moving, wrapping and burying each of them, and cleaning and partially painting his home. |
| “He misled friends, family and the police, among others, as to what he had done and where his partner and children had gone.” | “He misled friends, family and the police, among others, as to what he had done and where his partner and children had gone.” |
| Bloodstains belonging to Blake and the two boys were later found at the bungalow, before their bodies were discovered outside. | Bloodstains belonging to Blake and the two boys were later found at the bungalow, before their bodies were discovered outside. |
| Members of Blake’s family wept in court as the case was opened in front of a packed public gallery. | Members of Blake’s family wept in court as the case was opened in front of a packed public gallery. |
| She played Frankie Pierre in 56 episodes of EastEnders between 1996 and 1997. | She played Frankie Pierre in 56 episodes of EastEnders between 1996 and 1997. |
| In an statement read to the court, Blake’s mother, Lindell Blake, said the family have lived a “life sentence” of pain and sorrow since she and her two sons were brutally murdered by the “monster” Simpson-Kent. | In an statement read to the court, Blake’s mother, Lindell Blake, said the family have lived a “life sentence” of pain and sorrow since she and her two sons were brutally murdered by the “monster” Simpson-Kent. |
| Mrs Blake said the family continued to suffer the impact of the killing of her “beautiful daughter” and her “angel” grandsons. | Mrs Blake said the family continued to suffer the impact of the killing of her “beautiful daughter” and her “angel” grandsons. |
| She said: “It’s difficult to put into words how much we have suffered as a result of their murder and how we will continue to suffer for the rest of our lives. | She said: “It’s difficult to put into words how much we have suffered as a result of their murder and how we will continue to suffer for the rest of our lives. |
| “We are all living a life sentence; we are all living a nightmare. | “We are all living a life sentence; we are all living a nightmare. |
| “I would give my life for another moment with my daughter. Time is supposed to be a great healer but our wounds are open and bare for everyone to see. | “I would give my life for another moment with my daughter. Time is supposed to be a great healer but our wounds are open and bare for everyone to see. |
| “We have scars where Arthur has taken what was not his to take.” | “We have scars where Arthur has taken what was not his to take.” |
| Simpson-Kent, 49, who fled to his native Ghana before being extradited back to the UK, faces a possible whole-life sentence after admitting the triple killing in Erith, south-east London. | Simpson-Kent, 49, who fled to his native Ghana before being extradited back to the UK, faces a possible whole-life sentence after admitting the triple killing in Erith, south-east London. |
| The defendant told police in Accra that he killed them as part of an agreed murder-suicide pact because of Blake’s terminal illness and his poor relationship with her family. | The defendant told police in Accra that he killed them as part of an agreed murder-suicide pact because of Blake’s terminal illness and his poor relationship with her family. |
| The prosecution says there is no evidence this is true. | The prosecution says there is no evidence this is true. |
| The court heard that the murders happened the day after Blake visited her mother on 13 December and asked to move in with Simpson-Kent and the boys. | The court heard that the murders happened the day after Blake visited her mother on 13 December and asked to move in with Simpson-Kent and the boys. |
| When Mrs Blake said that Simpson-Kent could not, her daughter “appeared to accept it”, Heywood said. | When Mrs Blake said that Simpson-Kent could not, her daughter “appeared to accept it”, Heywood said. |
| He added: “Her family encouraged her to move sooner or later. Although no firm arrangement was made, the understanding was that she and the children would move over the coming holiday period, Christmas, even though she had originally requested a delay until the spring. | He added: “Her family encouraged her to move sooner or later. Although no firm arrangement was made, the understanding was that she and the children would move over the coming holiday period, Christmas, even though she had originally requested a delay until the spring. |
| “That was the last time Sian Blake was directly seen alive by family members.” | “That was the last time Sian Blake was directly seen alive by family members.” |
| In the days following her death, her family received texts from her mobile phone saying she had gone away. | In the days following her death, her family received texts from her mobile phone saying she had gone away. |
| One sent to her sister Ava read: “I’m taking time to myself and my children without constant opinions from family and friends.” | One sent to her sister Ava read: “I’m taking time to myself and my children without constant opinions from family and friends.” |
| It added: “I have had enough of appeasing everyone. We are away and I will not be calling or speaking to anyone for a few months.” | It added: “I have had enough of appeasing everyone. We are away and I will not be calling or speaking to anyone for a few months.” |
| The prosecution said Simpson-Kent sent the messages in a “a deliberate attempt to mislead”. | The prosecution said Simpson-Kent sent the messages in a “a deliberate attempt to mislead”. |
| Bearded Simpson-Kent sat impassively in the dock wearing a maroon sweatshirt, occasionally shutting his eyes as the court heard the case against him. | Bearded Simpson-Kent sat impassively in the dock wearing a maroon sweatshirt, occasionally shutting his eyes as the court heard the case against him. |
| Heywood said that, as police launched a missing persons investigation into Blake and her children, he booked a flight from Glasgow to Accra, via Amsterdam. | Heywood said that, as police launched a missing persons investigation into Blake and her children, he booked a flight from Glasgow to Accra, via Amsterdam. |
| In a message to a friend, he said: “I can’t go into details about what I have done but I only have two choices. Go to Ghana one-way or die.” | In a message to a friend, he said: “I can’t go into details about what I have done but I only have two choices. Go to Ghana one-way or die.” |
| While in the Ghanaian town of Busua, the court heard, he told a local man he “had killed his girlfriend first and then he had killed the two children afterwards”. | While in the Ghanaian town of Busua, the court heard, he told a local man he “had killed his girlfriend first and then he had killed the two children afterwards”. |
| He was seen “really partying” on New Year’s Eve and was spotted taking two young women to a cafe the following morning. He was held by local police days later. | He was seen “really partying” on New Year’s Eve and was spotted taking two young women to a cafe the following morning. He was held by local police days later. |