The Killer – Part 2©️ 

Due to his previous criminal convictions for violence and because he had lived nearby, Simon Hall’s name had been flagged by the HOLMES(2) information technology system used by police for investigations. As a result Simon was automatically categorised as a TIE suspect (trace, interview, eliminate) in relation to Joan Albert’s murder.

Suffolk police first spoke to Simon Hall on the 15th January 2002, following house to house enquiries, when he was asked to account for his movements between 9pm on Saturday the 15th December 2001 to 9am on the Sunday 16th December. He was asked by police where he was during these hours, who could verify it and what he was wearing. Below is a transcript of the notes of what Simon Hall first told Suffolk police;

Starts work 7pm worked till midnight at the Old Rep P/H Ipswich. Travelled past Boydlands at about 0600hrs 16/2* alone having been out in Ipswich at Liquid N/C. Saw nothing

Other staff at Old Rep P/H, Tower St Ipswich

Dark jeans, Dark top with No 4 on front. Dark Grey fleece

Transcript of Suffolk police notes from door to door enquiries re: Simon Hall
*the date was actually the 16/12

The police also made a note of any ’noticeable jewellery’ worn by Simon Hall, it read;

Silver chain on right wrist

Suffolk police then asked Simon Hall to make a formal statement on 7th March 2002, which consisted of 3 pages. The statement was written by a police officer and read;

I reside at the address shown overleaf, together with my mother Rosemary and father George. At about 6.30pm on Saturday 15th December 2001 I left my home in Capel St Mary Suffolk, in my Black Audi 80 Motor Vehicle and drove to Ipswich Town Centre, where I parked in the Social Services premises in Tower Street, Ipswich, but was not due to work this particular evening.
I went there with the intention of meeting others who work at the pub, and joining in with them, doing whatever seemed appropriate and was arranged.

I arrived at the Old Rep PH at about 655pm., where I stayed Untill (sic) about 9.15pm, when I, left with a colleague from the pub called Gareth. We walked to my vehicle and then drove to The Woolpack Public House on Tuddenham Road Ipswich, where we attended a Karoake evening that was going on there. I knew the licencee of the Woolpack pub as Scott Doughty and I arranged with him to leave my vehicle keys for safekeeping.

At about 10.40pm, Gareth and I left the Woolpack, and walked back to The Old Rep pub in Tower Street arriving at about 1055pm, just before last orders.

I remained with other members of staff after members of the public had left at closing time. They would include the manager Glenn *******, ‘Jamie’, ‘Nicole’, Dave ******** and ’Oli’.

We waited for everyone to finnish (sic) clearing up, before Jamie, Nicole and I walled through the Town Centre, to Cardinal Park Ipswich, where we went into ‘Liquid’ Night Club, arriving at about 1215am On Sunday, 16th December 2001.

I remained at ’Liquid’, untill (sic) about 215am to 2.30am when I left together with ’Jamie’ and we walked back to The Old Rep P.H, where we stayed talking to the manager Glenn *******, untill (sic) about 4am.

Jamie and I then left together walking about Ipswich Town Centre untill (sic) about 4am.

Jamie and I them left together, walking about Ipswich Town Centre untill (sic) about 6am, when we went back to The Woolpack P.H, to collect my vehicle keys and car itself.

As it was early in the morning, the premises were locked up and in darkness, and I threw stones at an upstairs window, in an effort to attract Scott Doughty’s attention to let me in to collect my keys.

He eventually came to the back door of the premises, and had strong words with me for waking his mother and he up at that time of the morning, before giving me my vehicle keys.

Jamie and I then left in my vehicle, and I drove him to his home address in Myrtle Road, Ipswich, before setting off for my own home in Capel St Mary.

My journey home was via the A12 main Road, turning in to The Street off the A12 Under the bridge and then right into Thorney Road and left into Snowcroft, where I arrived home at about 630am.

My mother was awake when I got home and I spoke with her before going to bed. I did not leave home then prior to about 9am.

During my drive through Capel St Mary, I did not see or hear anything of note.

Transcript of Simon Hall’s 7th March 2002 police witness statement

On ‘day 221 of what was known by police as ‘Operation Magdala’, which was Thursday the 25th July 2002, both Simon Hall and a man called Jamie Barker were arrested.

It is not known if other people, like Shaun Hall for example, were also arrested that day.

Police carried out early morning raids at an address in Hill House Road in Ipswich, where Simon Hall had been living with Phoebe Grant, since May 2002. Jamie Barker’s mother, Angela Barker’s house, in Myrtle Road, Ipswich was also searched.

When the police entered the premises of Hill House Road, Ipswich, some items of Simon Hall’s clothing were laid out on a bed, his passport was in folder.

Simon Hall and Phoebe Grant, along with members of Phoebe Grant’s family and a friend of Phoebe’s sister, were due to set off on holiday to France on Sunday the 28th July 2002. Simon told police during his 3rd interview, on the 26th July 2002, he was ‘the driver’ (Pages 22 & 23).

Instead all four of the Hall family members (Simon, Shaun, Lynne & Phil) were interviewed by the police in connection with Joan Albert’s murder, as was Phoebe Grant.

Sarah Grant, Phoebe Grant’s mother told police;

In summer this year, 2002, Simon and Phoebe mentioned about going on a family holiday. Unfortunately my husband works away a lot so Phoebe and Simon organised the whole holiday via the internet. They discovered a villa large enough for Simon, Phoebe, my other daughter C********, her friend A, Roger and I. We were all really excited and looking forward to the break away together

Unfortunately a few days before our arranged departure for holiday I received news from Phoebe of Simon’s arrest, and neither were able to go

As far as Simon’s parents were concerned, I only met them after Simon’s arrest and not before

Excerpts from Sarah Grant’s police witness statement dated 3rd October 2002

Following Simon Hall and Jamie Barker’s arrests, they were taken into custody at separate police stations where they were both interviewed in relation to Joan Albert’s murder.

Jamie Barker was taken to Felixstowe police station, approximately 11-12 miles from Ipswich, where a mouth swab and hair samples were taken from him for forensic examination, and Simon Hall was taken to Sudbury police station, approximately 24-25 miles from Ipswich. Both men were then interviewed under caution.

It is not known exactly what Suffolk police asked Jamie Barker during these interviews or exactly what Jamie Barker said to the police, as the transcript’s for his interviews do not appear to have been requested by Simon Hall or any of his legal representatives.

However, Simon Hall was questioned by police on Thursday the 25th of July 2002 and Friday the 26th July 2002, charged with Joan Albert’s murder and remanded in custody on Saturday the 27th July 2002.

It is not known if Shaun Hall, Phoebe Grant or Lynne and Phil Hall were also arrested by Suffolk police and taken to police stations in other locations, but a reference by a police constable (PC) Wells, read as follows;

On Thursday the 25th July 2002 I was on plain clothed duty at Force Headquarters in Martlesham Heath, Suffolk

At 1240 hours I was in an interview room at Ipswich Police Station in company with DC *** Hutson and Shaun David Hall

Excerpt from police witness statement of PC Well’s dated 25th July 2002

Copies of all transcripts of Simon Hall’s police interviews can be found at the following links;

Thursday 25th July 2002:

• 1 – 1340hrs to 1423hrs – Duration of interview 43 minutes
• 2 – 1424hrs to 1434hrs – 10 minutes
• 3 – 1557hrs to 1640hrs – 43 minutes
• 4 – 1641hrs to 1700hrs – 19 minutes
• 5 – 1815hrs to 1857hrs – 43 minutes
• 6 – 1858hrs to 1904hrs – 6 minutes

Friday 26th July 2002:

• 1 – 0951hrs to 1034hrs – 43 minutes
• 2 – 1035hrs to 1118hrs – 43 minutes
• 3 – 1119hrs to 1152hrs – 33 minutes
• 4 – 1434hrs to 1515hrs – 41 minutes
• 5 – 1706hrs to 1740hrs – 34 minutes
• 6 – 1753hrs to 1803hrs – 10 minutes

Suffolk police learned on the 25th July 2002, Simon Hall had started a relationship with Phoebe Grant, who was initially a friend of Jamie Barker’s, around the time he had committed Joan Albert’s murder.

The police also learned Simon Hall was also in a relationship and living ‘regularly’ with a woman named Stephanie Bon in Colchester, Essex, at the time of his murder.

Phoebe Grant told police on the day of Simon Hall’s arrest;

During the summer of 2001 I got a part-time job with Zenith windows. I had seen an advertisement and from March to July 2001 I worked for them as a telephone sales operator. This meant ’cold calling’ numbers from a list and trying to engage the subscriber into purchasing double glazing. It was a crap job really and a bit of a joke. While I was working there, I met another telephone operator called Jamie Barker, with whom I became friends. We both treated the job as a bit of a laugh really

I needed another part-time job, so I made enquiries at the Old Rep Public House in Ipswich in November 2001, in order to do some part-time bar work. When I went into the pub I saw Jamie Barker who had the Assistant Manager’s job there. We exchanged mobile ’phone numbers to (sic) that we could carry on with our friendship

When I started working at the pub, my current boyfriend Simon Hall already worked there

I can’t remember the exact date when I started working at the Old Rep but I do know that it was before Christmas 2001, possibly on the 8th December, a Saturday. I do know that on Saturday 22nd December, after I had worked there a couple of weeks, some of the staff from the pub went on after we finished work to ’Liquid Nightclub’ in Ipswich. I went, as did Jamie and Simon. There were other members of staff there too but as I didn’t know them very well I can’t recall their names. It was usual for members of the pub staff to go to Liquids after work on a Saturday night. Members of the pub staff could get into ’Liquids’ free if they showed their pub payslips. In return, staff from Liquids would come into the ’Old Rep’ most weekends and put flyers round. On this night at ’Liquid’ I got very friendly with Simon and he came back to my home at Gladstone Road afterwards

On Saturday 15th December 2001, the weekend before, I started work at about 7 pm. I think Simon was working too and would have started at about the same time. Jamie Barker wasn’t working but I remember him being in the pub and I think he came in at about 8pm. He got a bit drunk as he was celebrating a birthday and I remember him taking his top off at some stage and him being ’oiled up’. It wasn’t unusual for him to take his top off though!

Excerpts from Phoebe Grants police witness statement dated 25th July 2002

As well as living regularly with his then girlfriend Stephanie Bon, Simon Hall was also meeting up with and dating other women (and men) throughout December 2001 and up to his arrest on the 25th July 2002. This included Phoebe Grant, but wasn’t exclusive to her or any one relationship, as the police established as their investigation progressed. The extent of many of these relationships, were denied by Simon Hall, and others, until around 2012/13.

After being remanded in prison and prior to standing trial, Simon Hall was asked by the police to provide the names and telephone numbers of the people he had contact with over the time period when he committed Joan Albert’s murder. One telephone number linked back to Lucy W, who Simon referred to as an ’old girlfriend’, he stated via his legal team;

With reference to the exhibited list of call made from my mobile phone, on a brief cursory look I can identify certain mobile telephone numbers as follows:

Telephone number 01473 ****** is to Lucy W*** an old girlfriend from Hadleigh, Suffolk

Essentially, Lucy and Phoebe were vying for my attention. Phoebe does not like the name Lucy W*** as a consequence

Statements made by Simon Hall via legal notes

As a result of the above Lucy W was contacted by the police and interviewed by the police, Lucy stated;

On the evening of 1st February 2002 I went to the Old Rep Public House

I went there with a group of my friends

We’d gone there to celebrate the 18th Birthday of another friend

Whilst I was in there that evening I met a man who I know as Simon Hall, he was working in the pub as part of the bar staff. They had a promotional evening for a particular drink called Sidekick and Simon was going round the pub trying to get people to buy it. He came over and spoke to me and during the evening we got chatting. My friends and I thought he was good looking. Before I left that night Simon asked me if he could have my telephone number and if he could text me on it and I said yes and gave him my number

From then on we texted each other on a regular basis on our mobile phones and gradually got to know each other by sending messages. I went to the pub nearly every week and would see him in there working. We did for about three weeks go without any contact between us. Our relationship was more by phone than by going out regularly together and was not a sexual relationship apart from kissing each other on occasion when we did meet

I remember that on Tuesday 5th March 2002, Simon and I went to Toys R Us in Ipswich. I remember the date because it was the day before the open day at the University. Before going to Toys R Us he took me to his mum’s house in Capel St Mary. That was the one and only occasion that he spoke about the murder at Capel St Mary, he was chatting to his mum who was saying that the police wanted to speak to Simon and were phoning to see if he was there. Mrs Hall said it was about the lady who lived in Capel and that she couldn’t understand as she used to be really friendly with her

Simon said he was driving around quite late that night and that was why the police wanted to talk to him, also that he had gone over on a few occasions to do odd jobs. His mum also said they had gone over and been friendly with her and chatted

I did speak to him on one occasion some weeks afterwards on the phone when I was at college and he said he was with the police

Our relationship didn’t last very long as he was seeing someone else at the same time he was seeing me, a girl called Phoebe and we had a few fallings out over it. I saw them together in the Old Rep one night and I asked him about it and he admitted he was seeing her. This was probably at the end of February beginning of March. From then on when he didn’t pick up the phone or he couldn’t meet me I assumed he was seeing her. He was very aloof about Phoebe and his relationship with her

The last time I saw him was late April this year in The Old Rep when he asked how I was and we just had a polite conversation. Our relationship was gradually ending for a while and I can recall him saying that we lived in two completely different worlds and that I wouldn’t fit into his with me being at college and living in a nice house. I put it down to the age difference because there was about seven years age gap between us

He did come to my house once, on the same day as we went to Christchurch Park to feed the ducks, I don’t know the date

He always seemed really friendly and cheerful and I never saw him behave aggressively. I remember he had an old green Ford Escort or Sierra type car but I am not 100% sure of the make, it was ’D’ registration I think, light green in colour. He said he wanted to buy an Audi and he was going to do a part exchange. He said he used to have an Audi and he wanted to get another

His nickname was ’Teddy’ because when he was younger he used to wear a lot of ’Teddy Smith’ clothes. He was always well dressed, smart and fashionable

He did take me to the Woolpack pub in Ipswich for lunch when we were seeing each other, he was really friendly with the manager there. I can’t recall his name but Simon said if he’d got something to talk about he’d go to him. He did joke about being gay but he didn’t ever give me any cause to believe that he was

I think he was living with Phoebe and a girl called Kelsey somewhere in Ipswich when I knew him. He told me he didn’t want to live there anymore and that he wanted to move back with his mum and dad but he didn’t know whether they’d have him

I have had no contact with Simon since the end of April this year

Excerpts from Lucy W’s police witness statement dated 25th October 2002

Lucy W went on to become a witness for the prosecution during Simon Hall’s February 2003 trial.

Other questions were also posed in the lead up to Simon Hall’s trial, with regards to some of the evidence gathered by the police relating to the relationships Simon Hall had had.

Stuart Appleby, who worked for Scott Doughty at the Woolpack public house, had told police;

During the summer of 2000, a male I now know to be Simon Hall, started coming into the Woolpack and I knew him, at that stage, to be called ‘Teddy’

Simon lived at Martlesham at the time and Scott would receive phone calls from Teddy in the early hours and then ask to borrow my car so he could go over and see Teddy. Teddy would, on regular occasions, turn up in the early hours of the morning, bang on Scott’s bedroom window and Scott would go downstairs and let Teddy in and they would go into Scott’s bedroom

Scott would tell me all about his relationship with Teddy and he told me that they had full sex and oral sex with each other

Scott told me that they would both take the dominant role when having sex

Teddy would still bring various girlfriends to the pub but this would not bother Scott at all and I do not think they argued about this

Excerpts from Stuart’s 3rd September 2002 police witness statement

Scott Doughty, who ran the Woolpack public house and where Simon Hall had left his car keys behind the bar on the night of the 15th December 2001, told police;

My nature is outgoing and friendly, and due to my trade I regularly flirted with my customers both male and female. I would describe this as my act and my customers knew me and would respond. On one occasion, I did kiss Simon Hall. I can’t remember exactly when, but knew I was quite drunk and nothing further happened. I have never had a sexual relationship with Simon, despite flirting with him

Excerpt from Scott Doughty’s 17th September 2002 police witness statement

A statement made by Simon Hall via his legal team, in response to evidence gathered, read;

Regardless of what Hurn and Appleby are alleging I am not homosexual nor have I ever engaged in homosexual activity with Scott Doughty beyond the occasion noted by Scott where, along with another lad present at the time Matt, Scott did kiss me

I have in the past indulged in sexual experimentation but remain heterosexual

Phoebe my girlfriend is fully aware. My parents on the otherhand are not and I would not wish them to be

As regards Appleby and Hurn, they are a gay couple currently in a relationship. Appleby is the more dominant partner whilst Hurn is the more outwardly camp and feminine in his demeanour

Simon Hall statement 2002

Prior to his murder trial, having been asked about the extent of his relationship with Scott Doughty, and following further evidence coming to light, Simon Hall made a further brief statement which included the following;

One of the reasons I would go round to see Scott on a regular basis late at night over this period is the fact that Scott through his contacts was able to get cannabis for me. This would have happened on about 4 occasions

I would not want this information to become public in a way which might threaten Scott’s position as a licensee

There was obviously nothing more to our relationship than what I have set out above but I do believe, if anything, Appleby and Hurn may have been jealous of my friendship with Scott and perhaps that would explain in part the content of their statements

Simon Hall statement 2002

Seemingly as a result of Simon Hall’s disclosures above regarding the cannabis story, two public house’s linked to Scott Doughty were subsequently searched by police and items were seized.

In 2013 Simon Hall disclosed in some detail, he and Scott Doughty did meet regularly for sex.

In 2018 Scott Doughty was convicted of sexually assaulting two teenage boys. https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/scott-doughty-sexual-assault-trial-conviction-2500904

An ‘immobiliser’ incident stood out to the father of the girlfriend Simon Hall had been in a relationship with prior to Stephanie Bon, he told police;

Zoe who has a son called X began a relationship with a man called Simon Hall during 2001, it lasted until around the end of October 2001

Fairly early on in the relationship I became aware through my children that Simon had been in prison for assault. Simon also liked to be known as Ted or Teddy because he thought that Simon sounded gay, he only ever used Simon when his parents were around. Simon intimated without ever saying it directly, that he had been buggered while in prison

Initially Simon seemed okay and very quickly moved into Zoe’s flat, he was still going to see his ex Jo. That caused some trouble as Jo then used to ring Zoe up. As the relationship progressed I was aware that Simon was telling Zoe a lot of things that I did not consider to be true, such as moving furniture till late at work, car breaking down all stories that allowed him to stay out

On one occasion I was called out to fix his car, this was when he worked at National Chemicals in Colchester. When I got to the car two or three hours later it appeared to me that the immobiliser had been switched on, I was easily able to get it started

During the relationship Simon had a grey Volkswagon (sic) Golf possibly a GTI which was either F or G registered. I know since the relationship ended he has got rid of that vehicle

The only time I spent a lot of time in his company was when he gave me a lift to London to pick up my new car. It is fair to say I tolerated him rather than liked him

My son ****** had coincidentally shared a flat with him in East Bergholt some three years previous and had told me he was a ’wrong-un’. I agreed with ******

Some time after I heard that Mrs Albert had been murdered in Capel, immediately I thought that Simon could be responsible and said as much to my wife

Excerpts from police statement of Zoe’s father dated 30th July 2002

Link to ’Quite A Hall Tale’ ©️ Part 3 here