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Sarah Wellgreen: Taxi driver jailed for murdering ex-partner | Sarah Wellgreen: Taxi driver jailed for murdering ex-partner |
(32 minutes later) | |
A taxi driver has been jailed for murdering his ex-partner and dumping her body. | A taxi driver has been jailed for murdering his ex-partner and dumping her body. |
Ben Lacomba was found guilty of killing Sarah Wellgreen, 46, who disappeared in October 2018 from their home in New Ash Green, Kent, at Woolwich Crown Court. | Ben Lacomba was found guilty of killing Sarah Wellgreen, 46, who disappeared in October 2018 from their home in New Ash Green, Kent, at Woolwich Crown Court. |
He killed the mother-of-five in a "calculated manner designed to avoid detection". Her body was never found. | He killed the mother-of-five in a "calculated manner designed to avoid detection". Her body was never found. |
Lacomba, 39, who had three children with Ms Wellgreen, was told he would serve at least 27 years in prison. | Lacomba, 39, who had three children with Ms Wellgreen, was told he would serve at least 27 years in prison. |
Sentencing, Judge Christopher Kinch QC said: "No-one can know how you killed Sarah. It must be hoped that she did not suffer too much." | Sentencing, Judge Christopher Kinch QC said: "No-one can know how you killed Sarah. It must be hoped that she did not suffer too much." |
He said Lacomba had deliberately set out to deprive the children of their mother, adding: "It's difficult to imagine something more callous or chilling." | He said Lacomba had deliberately set out to deprive the children of their mother, adding: "It's difficult to imagine something more callous or chilling." |
Hiding the body had caused the family an "agony of uncertainty", he said. | Hiding the body had caused the family an "agony of uncertainty", he said. |
"The position you have put your children in is completely unimaginable," Judge Kinch told him. | "The position you have put your children in is completely unimaginable," Judge Kinch told him. |
"As their father, you were one of two people they would look to for nurture and protection. | "As their father, you were one of two people they would look to for nurture and protection. |
"Instead, you have taken their mother from them - a crime which is bound to resonate throughout their lives." | "Instead, you have taken their mother from them - a crime which is bound to resonate throughout their lives." |
After Lacomba was jailed, Ms Wellgreen's son Lewis Burdett said: "Today, as far as the law is concerned, justice has been served for Sarah. | |
"We hope [Lacomba] will never be released unless he admits his guilt and reveals the location of her grave." | |
Det Ch Insp Ivan Beasley, from Kent Police, said officers would continue to search for Ms Wellgreen's body. | |
"We have more searches planned and will continue to do everything in our power to find her so her family can finally lay her to rest," he said. | |
The search for Ms Wellgreen was one of the largest in the history of the force, with 1,275 areas searched, totalling over 2,782 miles. | |
At its height, the operation involved around 120 officers a day using police dogs, drones and the marine unit. | |
During the trial, the court heard the couple met online in 2004, but by the time of her disappearance on 9 October 2018 their relationship was marked by "tensions and problems". | |
They split up in 2014 but continued to live in the same house although Ms Wellgreen, a beautician, had a mortgage to buy Lacomba out of the property, jurors were told. | They split up in 2014 but continued to live in the same house although Ms Wellgreen, a beautician, had a mortgage to buy Lacomba out of the property, jurors were told. |
During cross-examination, Lacomba claimed he did not know where Ms Wellgreen's body was and had nothing to do with her disappearance. | During cross-examination, Lacomba claimed he did not know where Ms Wellgreen's body was and had nothing to do with her disappearance. |
But the court heard he switched off a CCTV system in the middle of the night and parked his car in an unusual spot in an attempt to evade detection. | But the court heard he switched off a CCTV system in the middle of the night and parked his car in an unusual spot in an attempt to evade detection. |
'We miss her' | |
Lacomba claimed he was asleep in bed on the night of the killing. | Lacomba claimed he was asleep in bed on the night of the killing. |
A statement issued by Ms Wellgreen's family after the court hearing said: "As a family, we miss Sarah every day. There is no bandage big enough to repair the wound that has been left by her premature death. | |
"We will not however allow Ben Lacomba to destroy our lives. | |
"Our priority will be to give Sarah's three youngest children every opportunity to be the best they can be and to have a full and happy life knowing their mother loved them." |
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