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Helen Bailey's mother 'uneasy' about murder suspect, trial hears Helen Bailey's mother 'uneasy' about murder suspect, trial hears
(about 4 hours later)
The mother of children’s author Helen Bailey became “uneasy” about her relationship with the man accused of killing her, in the weeks before she disappeared, a court has heard. The mother of children’s author Helen Bailey had become “uneasy” about the man accused of killing her and said her daughter felt “panicked” in the weeks before she disappeared.
Ian Stewart, 56, of Royston, Hertfordshire, is accused of murdering the writer after plying her with sedatives in a financially motivated plot last year. The writer’s elderly mother, Eileen Bailey, broke down in tears as she gave evidence on Monday in the trial of the man accused of drugging and killing the popular author.
The writer’s mother, Eileen Bailey, told Stewart’s trial at St Albans crown court her daughter “panicked” about her deteriorating state of mind and repeated forgetful incidents. She had become “highly anxious” and felt “spaced out” all the time, jurors were told. Ian Stewart, 56, is accused of murdering the writer after gradually doping her with sedatives in a financially motivated plot last year.
Bailey was reported missing on 15 April2016, along with her pet dog, Boris. Their bodies were found in a cesspit under the garage at the home she shared with Stewart three months after he had reported her missing.
The writer’s mother, Eileen Bailey, told the trial at St Albans crown court that her daughter “panicked” about her deteriorating state of mind and repeated forgetful incidents. She had become “highly anxious” and felt “spaced out” all the time, jurors were told.
Asked about her views on the couple’s relationship, her mother said: “Well, I felt uneasy about it, latterly I was quite unhappy – mainly because of Helen’s state of mind.”Asked about her views on the couple’s relationship, her mother said: “Well, I felt uneasy about it, latterly I was quite unhappy – mainly because of Helen’s state of mind.”
Stewart denies charges of murder, preventing a lawful burial, fraud and three counts of perverting the course of justice.Stewart denies charges of murder, preventing a lawful burial, fraud and three counts of perverting the course of justice.
In the weeks before Bailey vanished, she confided in her mother about inadvertently leaving her dog on the beach, taking an item scanner from a supermarket, and not being able to recognise her hands on a computer keyboard. In the weeks before Bailey vanished, she confided in her mother about inadvertently leaving her dog on the beach, taking an item scanner from a supermarket and not being able to recognise her hands on a computer keyboard.
Speaking to the court via videolink, with a framed picture of the author visible behind her shoulder, Mrs Bailey said: “That really worried me.” She added: “She just had such a good memory beforehand.” Speaking to the court via videolink, with a framed picture of the author visible behind her shoulder, Bailey said: “That really worried me. … She just had such a good memory beforehand.”
A week before her alleged murder, the 51-year-old phoned her mother, deeply worried after falling asleep for five hours – despite having a full night’s rest. A week before her alleged murder, the 51-year-old phoned her mother, deeply worried after falling asleep for five hours – despite having had a full night’s rest.
Mrs Bailey told the court: “I picked the phone up and she said: ‘Hi Mum, it’s me,’ and I said: ‘Hello you,’ and then, in this panicked voice, she said: ‘I just slept five hours.’ That took me by surprise and I said: ‘You must have needed it,’ and she said: ‘What, after a night’s sleep?’” Bailey told the court: “I picked the phone up and she said: ‘Hi Mum, it’s me,’ and I said: ‘Hello you.’ And then, in this panicked voice, she said: ‘I just slept five hours.’ That took me by surprise and I said: ‘You must have needed it,’ and she said: ‘What, after a night’s sleep?’”
She added: “I feel I was dismissive.”She added: “I feel I was dismissive.”
The author’s mother told the court she thought Stewart had cooked her daughter breakfast that morning, but on cross-examination said she could not be sure. The author’s mother told the court she thought Stewart had cooked her daughter breakfast that morning. But on cross-examination she said she could not be sure.
Three months after she vanished, Bailey’s body was discovered in a cesspit below the couple’s large home, alongside her dog, Boris.
Discovered in her system during a postmortem examination were traces of an anti-insomnia drug prescribed to Stewart, the court has previously heard. Episodes of dizziness and tiredness were also reported to Mrs Bailey by her daughter about a month before she went missing in April 2016.Discovered in her system during a postmortem examination were traces of an anti-insomnia drug prescribed to Stewart, the court has previously heard. Episodes of dizziness and tiredness were also reported to Mrs Bailey by her daughter about a month before she went missing in April 2016.
She told the court: “Particularly when she was shopping and wanting to reach up for something from the shelf – she would fall to the floor. I suggested she went to the doctor’s.”She told the court: “Particularly when she was shopping and wanting to reach up for something from the shelf – she would fall to the floor. I suggested she went to the doctor’s.”
Bailey was said to have forgotten her beloved dachshund several weeks later. Her mother said: “She said that she had come away from the beach and gone home and Ian had said he would go and get the dog, but she was almost traumatised by that, repeating: ‘You know, Mum, I would never have done that.’” Bailey was said to have forgotten her beloved dachshund several weeks later. Her mother said: “She said that she had come away from the beach and gone home and Ian had said he would go and get the dog. But she was almost traumatised by that, repeating: ‘You know, Mum, I would never have done that.’”
In the wake of his fiancee’s disappearance, Stewart behaved in an erratic and “rude” manner, jurors were told.In the wake of his fiancee’s disappearance, Stewart behaved in an erratic and “rude” manner, jurors were told.
DC Hollie Daines said the defendant had told police he “must be” a suspect. She told the trial: “I found his behaviour generally quite unexpected at times: he had already snapped at me a couple of times when I was asking him to do an interview.”DC Hollie Daines said the defendant had told police he “must be” a suspect. She told the trial: “I found his behaviour generally quite unexpected at times: he had already snapped at me a couple of times when I was asking him to do an interview.”
She added: “I found him rude, temperamental, uncooperative and dismissive of us.”She added: “I found him rude, temperamental, uncooperative and dismissive of us.”
After officers had concluded a first interview with Stewart, he is alleged to have said: “Am I still a suspect? I must be, I must be a suspect.”
Jurors were also told the defendant had vetoed the idea of holding a press conference to appeal directly to his missing bride-to-be.
Daines said: “He wasn’t keen on the idea, he felt that the media will twist anything he said and ‘no’ soon would end up being a ‘yes’.”
The trial continues.The trial continues.