This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/nov/29/millionaire-made-list-of-items-to-help-private-escort-trial-hears

The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Millionaire made list of items to help murder private escort, trial hears Millionaire made list of items to help murder private escort, trial hears
(35 minutes later)
A multi-millionaire property developer obsessed with the woman he paid to be his exclusive escort made a list of items to use when he murdered her, a court has heard.A multi-millionaire property developer obsessed with the woman he paid to be his exclusive escort made a list of items to use when he murdered her, a court has heard.
Peter Morgan, 54, is accused of strangling Georgina Symonds, 25, after overhearing her say in a phone conversation that she planned to “fleece him”, leave him and return to working as an escort for other men.Peter Morgan, 54, is accused of strangling Georgina Symonds, 25, after overhearing her say in a phone conversation that she planned to “fleece him”, leave him and return to working as an escort for other men.
The father of two, from Llanellen, near Abergavenny, lavished Symonds with expensive gifts and paid her up to £10,000 a month to be his personal escort. Morgan, from Llanellen, near Abergavenny, lavished Symonds, who had a five-year-old daughter, with expensive gifts and paid her up to £10,000 a month to be his personal escort.
Newport crown court was told Morgan overheard Symonds’ phone call with another man via a listening device disguised as a plug adapter which he had planted in her home. Newport crown court was told Morgan overheard Symonds’ phonecall with another man via a listening device disguised as a plug adapter that he had planted in her home.
The call took place at 10.25pm on 10 January. The prosecutor William Hughes QC told the jury Morgan created a note on his phone at 3.20am the following day, reading: “Sim, gloves, snip, handle, tape, adapter.”The call took place at 10.25pm on 10 January. The prosecutor William Hughes QC told the jury Morgan created a note on his phone at 3.20am the following day, reading: “Sim, gloves, snip, handle, tape, adapter.”
Hughes said: “It is a list we say that Mr Morgan was preparing in his planning of the murder of Georgina.”Hughes said: “It is a list we say that Mr Morgan was preparing in his planning of the murder of Georgina.”
That day Morgan bought a sim card, which he later told police was to call a taxi after he had hidden Symonds’ body, Hughes said. That day Morgan, who has two children, bought a sim card, which he later told police was to call a taxi after he had hidden Symonds’ body, Hughes said.
Morgan arrived at the rural bungalow he owned, and where Symonds lived rent-free, in Llanmartin, Newport, on the morning of 12 January. He brough with him tape, twine, a metal pole and plastic sheeting. After strangling the mother of one with the twine, he wrapped her body, bound it with rope and tape, and loaded it into the boot of his Porsche Cayenne, the court heard. CCTV footage shows Morgan arriving at an outbuilding just metres from the home of his estranged wife, Helen, at Beech Hill Farm in Usk, Gwent, at 12pm. Morgan arrived at the rural bungalow he owned, and where Symonds lived rent-free, in Llanmartin, Newport, on the morning of 12 January. He brought with him tape, twine, a metal pole and plastic sheeting. After strangling Symonds with the twine, he wrapped her body, bound it with rope and tape, and loaded it into the boot of his Porsche Cayenne, the court heard. CCTV footage shows Morgan arriving at an outbuilding just metres from the home of his estranged wife, Helen, at Beech Hill Farm in Usk, Gwent, at 12pm.
“Mr Morgan drives off. He then goes about his normal business. He goes to work in his office. He then pops in to the Lloyds Bank in Abergavenny,” Hughes said.“Mr Morgan drives off. He then goes about his normal business. He goes to work in his office. He then pops in to the Lloyds Bank in Abergavenny,” Hughes said.
Symonds was reported missing to police after she failed to collect her five-year-old daughter from school that afternoon. Officers discovered her white Samsung phone under the driver’s seat of Morgan’s Porsche 911, parked near Helen Morgan’s home.Symonds was reported missing to police after she failed to collect her five-year-old daughter from school that afternoon. Officers discovered her white Samsung phone under the driver’s seat of Morgan’s Porsche 911, parked near Helen Morgan’s home.
Morgan allegedly told officers at 4.45am on 13 January: “I strangled her this morning. I love her so much.”Morgan allegedly told officers at 4.45am on 13 January: “I strangled her this morning. I love her so much.”
Police discovered Symonds’ body in the outbuilding at 6am and a postmortem examination found she died from strangulation.Police discovered Symonds’ body in the outbuilding at 6am and a postmortem examination found she died from strangulation.
Hughes said Morgan planted the listening device, which was fitted with a sim card and recorded her phone calls, in the bungalow in November 2015 and called it 514 times between then and her death. He is alleged to have listened to the device – stored in his mobile phone as a contact called “Isobel” – for up to two hours at a time. Hughes said Morgan planted the listening device, which was fitted with a sim card and recorded her phonecalls, in the bungalow in November 2015 and called it 514 times between then and her death. He is alleged to have listened to the device – stored in his mobile phone as a contact called “Isobel” – for up to two hours at a time.
Hughes said: “During the course of his interview under caution, Peter Morgan said he overheard Georgina talking to an unknown person. He heard Georgina say that once he had signed the bungalow over, she was going to leave him, go to London to work as an escort and continue to fleece him.Hughes said: “During the course of his interview under caution, Peter Morgan said he overheard Georgina talking to an unknown person. He heard Georgina say that once he had signed the bungalow over, she was going to leave him, go to London to work as an escort and continue to fleece him.
“This enraged him and, as a result, he began to plan and think about ‘ending this problem’”.“This enraged him and, as a result, he began to plan and think about ‘ending this problem’”.
Morgan was initially just one of Symonds’ clients but their three-year relationship went from being professional to “something more”, Hughes said. He treated her to spa days, helicopter flights, hotel stays and liposuction.Morgan was initially just one of Symonds’ clients but their three-year relationship went from being professional to “something more”, Hughes said. He treated her to spa days, helicopter flights, hotel stays and liposuction.
The prosecutor described Morgan as “a very successful and wealthy businessman with a large property portfolio” who was “a millionaire many times over”.The prosecutor described Morgan as “a very successful and wealthy businessman with a large property portfolio” who was “a millionaire many times over”.
In police interviews, Morgan told police he loved Symonds and “gave up everything for her” but she blamed him following the suicide of her ex-boyfriend in November 2015.In police interviews, Morgan told police he loved Symonds and “gave up everything for her” but she blamed him following the suicide of her ex-boyfriend in November 2015.
“He said he wanted her to stop blaming him. He said, ‘I just done it’, and then stated, ‘When I’d done it I felt no remorse,’” Hughes said.“He said he wanted her to stop blaming him. He said, ‘I just done it’, and then stated, ‘When I’d done it I felt no remorse,’” Hughes said.
Morgan told officers he had been married for 22 years but was giving half his companies to his wife in order to be with Symonds, describing himself as Symonds’ “sugar daddy”, Hughes said.Morgan told officers he had been married for 22 years but was giving half his companies to his wife in order to be with Symonds, describing himself as Symonds’ “sugar daddy”, Hughes said.
The trial continues.The trial continues.