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Sian Blake murder: Arthur Simpson-Kent gets whole-life sentence Sian Blake murder: Arthur Simpson-Kent gets whole-life sentence
(35 minutes later)
A cannabis dealer who bludgeoned and stabbed to death his partner and their two children has been given a whole-life sentence after burying his family in the garden and fleeing to Ghana. A cannabis dealer who bludgeoned and stabbed to death his partner and their two children, buried them in the garden and fled to Ghana has been given a whole-life sentence.
Arthur Simpson-Kent pleaded guilty to killing former EastEnders actor Sian Blake, 43, and their sons, Zachary, eight, and four-year-old Amon, in the family home in Erith, south-east London. Arthur Simpson-Kent, 49, pleaded guilty to killing the former EastEnders actor Sian Blake, 43, and their sons, Zachary, eight, and four-year-old Amon, in the family home in Erith, south-east London.
Simpson-Kent repeatedly battered Blake and the couple’s two sons around the head with a blunt instrument before stabbing them in the neck or throat, after learning that the actor had planned to leave their “unhealthy” relationship and move in with her mother. Simpson-Kent repeatedly battered Blake and the two boys around the head with a blunt instrument before stabbing them in the neck or throat after learning that the actor had planned to leave their “unhealthy” relationship and move in with her mother.
The court was told that his victims had been unable to defend themselves against the premeditated attack in December 2015. The court was told that his victims were unable to defend themselves against the premeditated attack in December 2015.
Blake – who played Frankie Pierre in 56 episodes of EastEnders between 1996 and 1997 – had been diagnosed with terminal motor neurone disease, which would have left her unable to fend off blows by her partner. Blake, who played Frankie Pierre in 56 episodes of EastEnders between 1996 and 1997, had been diagnosed with terminal motor neurone disease, which would have left her unable to fend off blows by her partner.
A day before Blake and her sons were murdered, she had gone to her mother, Lindell Blake, and asked if the whole family could move back into her house in Leyton, east London. Told that Simpson-Kent was not welcome, the former actor had appeared to accept the decision and her family understood that over the Christmas period she would move back to east London with her boys, leaving Simpson-Kent behind. But 13 December 2015 was the last time her family saw Blake and her sons alive. A day before Blake and her sons were murdered, she had gone to her mother, Lindell Blake, and asked if the whole family could move back into her house in Leyton, east London.
Told that Simpson-Kent was not welcome, the former actor appeared to accept the decision and her family understood that over the Christmas period she would move back to east London with her boys, leaving Simpson-Kent behind. But 13 December 2015 was the last time her family saw Blake and her sons alive.
Learning of the plans the next day, Simpson-Kent attacked his family “with heavy, deliberate, repeated blows”. He then attempted to cover up his crimes by burying his victims in the garden before cleaning and repainting their bungalow.Learning of the plans the next day, Simpson-Kent attacked his family “with heavy, deliberate, repeated blows”. He then attempted to cover up his crimes by burying his victims in the garden before cleaning and repainting their bungalow.
Bloodstains belonging to Blake and the two boys were later found at the bungalow before their buried bodies were discovered.Bloodstains belonging to Blake and the two boys were later found at the bungalow before their buried bodies were discovered.
In “a deliberate attempt to mislead” Simpson-Kent sent texts to Blake’s family, letting them think she was moving away for months and did not want to speak to them. 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.” In “a deliberate attempt to mislead”, Simpson-Kent sent texts to Blake’s family, letting them think she was moving away for months and did not want to speak to them. 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.”
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.”
As police launched a missing persons investigation into Blake and her children Simpson-Kent 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 2 choices. Go to Ghana one way or Die.” As police launched a missing persons investigation, Simpson-Kent 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.”
But while in the Ghanaian town of Busua the 49-year-old 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, the court heard. In the Ghanaian town of Busua, Simpson-Kent 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, the court heard.
Two days later he was caught by local police. In desperation he told them he killed his partner and children as part of an agreed murder-suicide pact because of Blake’s terminal illness and his poor relationship with her family, but prosecution argued that there was no evidence to support this. Two days later he was caught by local police. In desperation he told them he killed his partner and children as part of an agreed murder-suicide pact because of Blake’s terminal illness and his poor relationship with her family, but the prosecution argued there was no evidence to support this.
In emotional scenes at the Old Bailey Blake’s family shared the agony they had been put through since the death of the two boys and Blake, whom they said, could “light up a room with her smile”. In emotional scenes at the Old Bailey, Blake’s family shared the agony they had been through since the death of the two boys and Blake, who they said could “light up a room with her smile”.
In a statement read to the court Blake’s mother said the family were living a life sentence of pain and sorrow. In a statement read to the court, Blake’s mother 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. I would give my life for another moment with my daughter.”
“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. “We are all living a life sentence, we are all living a nightmare. I would give my life for another moment with my daughter.” Blake had lived for her sons, she said, adding: “She was besotted with Zachary and Amon. They completed her.” The family now had to live knowing that Blake and her children would have been “scared, terrified, before this monster slaughtered them in their home.”
The 43-year-old actor lived for her sons, she said, adding: “She was besotted with Zachary and Amon. They completed her.” The family had to live knowing that Blake and her children would have been “scared, terrified, before this monster slaughtered them in their home”.
She added: “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.”She added: “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.”
And in a victim impact statement read to the court, Blake’s cousin Cheryl Golding said she could not stop thinking about the brutality of their deaths. In a victim impact statement read to the court, Blake’s cousin Cheryl Golding said she could not stop thinking about the brutality of their deaths.
“I have nightmares, visions of how I suppose they were murdered – the terror in their eyes, the look that would have been on Sian’s face,” she said. “Sian, in life, would want the best in people – could never quite comprehend that sometimes people do evil things. She would simply say: ‘Why do people want to do that?”’ “I have nightmares, visions of how I suppose they were murdered – the terror in their eyes, the look that would have been on Sian’s face,” she said. “Sian, in life, would want the best in people – could never quite comprehend that sometimes people do evil things. She would simply say: ‘Why do people want to do that?’”
She added: “I suffer each day and night with these thoughts going through my head. Why did they have to die? They could have been left alone.”She added: “I suffer each day and night with these thoughts going through my head. Why did they have to die? They could have been left alone.”
Defending Simpson-Kent, Jim Sturman QC said that Simpson-Kent was “not a man prone to violence” but had snapped under the pressure of his partner’s illness. He told the court the couple had previously discussed “ending it all” because of her disease, but added: “There was no agreement to kill in this way and it was against this backdrop that the guilty pleas were entered. It is not suggested that the killings were a mercy killing.” Simpson-Kent’s lawyer, Jim Sturman QC, said his client was “not a man prone to violence” but had snapped under the pressure of his partner’s illness.
He told the court the couple had previously discussed “ending it all” because of her disease, but added: “There was no agreement to kill in this way and it was against this backdrop that the guilty pleas were entered. It is not suggested that the killings were a mercy killing.”