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| Man guilty over Carole Waugh murder | Man guilty over Carole Waugh murder |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A man has been found guilty of murdering a woman who was stabbed in the neck in her flat in central London and her body hidden in a car boot. | A man has been found guilty of murdering a woman who was stabbed in the neck in her flat in central London and her body hidden in a car boot. |
| Carole Waugh, 49, was reported missing from her home in May 2012. Her body was found in a rented garage on 2 August. | Carole Waugh, 49, was reported missing from her home in May 2012. Her body was found in a rented garage on 2 August. |
| The Old Bailey heard Rakesh Bhayani, 41, might have met Ms Waugh, from Marylebone, through her escort work. | The Old Bailey heard Rakesh Bhayani, 41, might have met Ms Waugh, from Marylebone, through her escort work. |
| Bhayani, who was accused of taking about £1m of her assets, will be sentenced on Thursday. | Bhayani, who was accused of taking about £1m of her assets, will be sentenced on Thursday. |
| He will be sentenced alongside Nicholas Kutner, 48, who was cleared of murder but found guilty of perverting the course of justice by concealing Ms Waugh's death. | |
| Kutner, from Kentish Town, north London, had already admitted conspiracy to defraud. | |
| 'She was taken in' | 'She was taken in' |
| Bhayani, from Wembley, north-west London, had previously admitted conspiracy to defraud Ms Waugh and perverting the course of justice by concealing her death. | Bhayani, from Wembley, north-west London, had previously admitted conspiracy to defraud Ms Waugh and perverting the course of justice by concealing her death. |
| During the trial, prosecutors told the jury that "the evidence strongly suggests" Ms Waugh, originally from Durham, was stabbed in the neck at home on 16 April last year. | |
| The court heard the former oil company worker was lonely and had been looking for love in the months before her death, as well as working as an escort. | The court heard the former oil company worker was lonely and had been looking for love in the months before her death, as well as working as an escort. |
| She considered Bhayani a friend and had visited him in prison, lending him about £40,000, the court heard. | She considered Bhayani a friend and had visited him in prison, lending him about £40,000, the court heard. |
| Opening the prosecution's case, Patrick Gibbs QC told the court: "It seems that she had been intimate with him at one time or another in the past. | Opening the prosecution's case, Patrick Gibbs QC told the court: "It seems that she had been intimate with him at one time or another in the past. |
| "She may have first met him through an advertisement of herself as an escort that she had placed on the internet. | "She may have first met him through an advertisement of herself as an escort that she had placed on the internet. |
| "Like everyone else that has met Bhayani, she was taken in by him." | "Like everyone else that has met Bhayani, she was taken in by him." |
| A third defendant, Elie Khoury, told police that Bhayani was "all about fraud" and used to get money from Ms Waugh and at one point suddenly started getting much more. | A third defendant, Elie Khoury, told police that Bhayani was "all about fraud" and used to get money from Ms Waugh and at one point suddenly started getting much more. |
| Estate agent witness Amit Khagram told the court Bhayani owed him £17,000 and owed Ms Waugh between £30,000 and £40,000, and said that after 16 April 2012 he was repaid. | Estate agent witness Amit Khagram told the court Bhayani owed him £17,000 and owed Ms Waugh between £30,000 and £40,000, and said that after 16 April 2012 he was repaid. |
| 'Took almost everything' | 'Took almost everything' |
| Mr Khagram said he received text messages from Ms Waugh's phone arranging for the pair to meet near her flat to give him his money. | Mr Khagram said he received text messages from Ms Waugh's phone arranging for the pair to meet near her flat to give him his money. |
| But each time he went he received a message from her mobile to say she could not see him but had instead given the cash to a friend, whom he then collected it from. | But each time he went he received a message from her mobile to say she could not see him but had instead given the cash to a friend, whom he then collected it from. |
| He said Bhayani told him Ms Waugh had moved out of London to care for her sick mother. | He said Bhayani told him Ms Waugh had moved out of London to care for her sick mother. |
| The Metropolitan Police said its investigation began after suspicious activity was noted on Ms Waugh's bank accounts from 17 April. | The Metropolitan Police said its investigation began after suspicious activity was noted on Ms Waugh's bank accounts from 17 April. |
| Her flat was fraudulently leased and cleared of all her personal belongings before attempts were made to sell it. | Her flat was fraudulently leased and cleared of all her personal belongings before attempts were made to sell it. |
| Applications for a bridging loan and remortgage to the values of £250,000 and £400,000 were discovered. | Applications for a bridging loan and remortgage to the values of £250,000 and £400,000 were discovered. |
| In May, Bhayani made arrangements to view a garage in Lime Court, New Malden, south-west London, police said. | In May, Bhayani made arrangements to view a garage in Lime Court, New Malden, south-west London, police said. |
| During the investigation police received information relating Lime Court and visited it on 2 August, unlocking the padlock with a key found in Bhayani's possession. | During the investigation police received information relating Lime Court and visited it on 2 August, unlocking the padlock with a key found in Bhayani's possession. |
| A Golf Bhayani had bought on 19 April was found and inside it was Ms Waugh's decomposed body. | A Golf Bhayani had bought on 19 April was found and inside it was Ms Waugh's decomposed body. |
| Det Ch Insp Justin Davies said after the case: "Bhayani is a confidence trickster who murdered her with the sole intention of stripping her assets and the belongings she had worked hard for. | Det Ch Insp Justin Davies said after the case: "Bhayani is a confidence trickster who murdered her with the sole intention of stripping her assets and the belongings she had worked hard for. |
| "They took almost everything she worked for with exception of two bracelets which remained on her body. | "They took almost everything she worked for with exception of two bracelets which remained on her body. |
| "These were difficult to prise off her wrists and I have no doubt if able to, they would have taken these items too." | "These were difficult to prise off her wrists and I have no doubt if able to, they would have taken these items too." |
| Mr Khoury, 40, of Spring Street, Paddington, central London, was found not guilty of conspiracy to defraud. | Mr Khoury, 40, of Spring Street, Paddington, central London, was found not guilty of conspiracy to defraud. |
| Mr Justice Wilkie deferred sentencing to enable Ms Waugh's family to attend. | Mr Justice Wilkie deferred sentencing to enable Ms Waugh's family to attend. |
| He said: "I am particularly aware that the family of Carole Waugh are not in attendance and that it should be desirable that they should be present." | He said: "I am particularly aware that the family of Carole Waugh are not in attendance and that it should be desirable that they should be present." |