Innocence Fraud Killers Sion Jenkins & Michael O’Brien – Part 18d©️

Joan Albert’s Killer
Photograph of Simon Hall taken whilst *at large* and wanted by Suffolk police for a sexually motivated murder

Abuser Sandra Lean & Her Lies, Deliberate Manipulation, Smear Campaigns & Gaslighting

& The Rebranding Of Dangerous Predator’s Into Faux Victims & The Toxicity, Triangulation, Projection & Informal Fallacies Which Go Hand In Hand With Innocence Fraud

Under a September 2008 blog headed ‘Sion Jenkins and Michael O’Brien’ Sandra Lean stated;

We need to wake up. Every innocent person is imprisoned on our behalf – yours and mine. Is that what any of us really want? Rather than live with the discomfort of knowing that the police haven’t found the real perpetrator of a terrible crime, we’ll settle for the fake security that “someone has been caught.” Your son or daughter? Your husband, wife, mother, father, brother, sister? And meanwhile, the real killer is walking amongst us, undetected and undeterred.
Sandra Lean – 1st of September 2008 here

Joan Albert’s killers murder conviction was referred to the court of appeal (CoA) by the criminal cases review commission (CCRC) on the 14th of October 2009, as mentioned in Part 15 here.

It is still not known how the CCRC were able to be seen to magic away the Hall families concocted evidence, which again Graham Parkin described to the jury in his closing speech as follows;

We did not know that his defence would include some material, and I’m going to say this, I’ll use the word deliberately and explain to you why I say it in a moment. We couldn’t know that his case was going to involve material, which has been concocted. Made up. If you find it so to be you’ll have to ask yourselves the question why has it.
Because concocted means deliberate and dishonest. To be woven into the general framework of the case, the general framework of his movements on that particular weekend of his lifestyle and those of his family generally.
It is a serious submission that I make to you. That Simon Hall aided by members of his family his rehearsed story, which they know in important parts not to be true. He’s done it for an obvious reason the Crown say to escape proper justice. To stave a conviction for murder.
Excerpts from the prosecutions closing speech by Graham Parkin – Read here

David Jessel, a journalist and CCRC commissioner, appeared on TV on the 14th of October 2009 to announce the news of the murder conviction referral. And then on the 21st of January 2010 Jon Robin’s wrote an article for The Times headed Criminal Cases Review Commission comes under fire.

The next line of Jon Robins article read ‘What, if anything, does it say about our criminal justice system that undergraduates are sorting out judicial errors that lead to innocent people being locked up?’. (The CCRC’s statement of reasons can be read here)

Simon Hall’s then wife Stephanie (Hall) barely used the Internet around this time, as she relied on libraries or Internet cafes for access to the World Wide Web until she was given an old laptop quite sometime after the October 2009 CCRC referral.

Sandra Lean and Billy Middleton, who would later go on to announce (In early November 2010) they were in a relationship, drove around parts of the UK in 2010 in an old red post office van.

Sandra had stripped the seats out of the back of the van and made the space into a sleeping area. Billy Middleton referred to the van on Facebook as ‘Hotel Justicia’.

This was commented on by someone using the alias Con on an Internet forum. They stated;

Well from what I can read online, which is not bound by disclosure, both Sandra Lean and Billy Middleton seem to be touring around like Cliff Richard from Summer Holiday on a big red bus which they have named Hotel Justicia. So from that I can assume they are sleeping in the bus.

Quite what they are doing is not clear because they keep posting that they are in undisclosed places in UK but they were at Simon Halls hearing and not at Luke Mitchells hearing. So if as Lydia says, Mrs Mitchell is ill and possibly could not attend then Luke Mitchell was left on his own at his appeal while his campaigners run around in a red bus in England.

Simon Halls hearing was a procedural hearing, as was Luke Mitchells. Yet the campaign for Luke Mitchell is shoved into second place or lower in their priorities. Which is appalling when you think of it, because he is a 21 year old boy who needs as much support as he can get yet his supposed biggest supporter who would indeed have known the date of Mitchells appeal could simply not be bothered to be there. Yet could travel to England for an appeal.

Makes me wonder what their motives really are in this field of work.
Con – 12th of March 2010

A preliminary appeals hearing was announced with a date set for the 10th of March 2010.

Stephanie Bon Photo courtesy of DailyMail

Following on from this announcement Stephanie Bon* posted a statement to her website here.

*Stephanie Bon is referred to in Part 2 of the Quite A Hall Tale blog series here, Part 4 here, Part 5 here, Part 7 here, Part 9 here, Part 9a here, Part 9b here and Part 10a here, Part 11 here, Part 12 here, Part 12a here, Part 14 here, Part 16 here, Part 17c here, Part 17d here, Part 17e here, Part 17f here, at page 52 of the criminal cases review commission’s statement of reasons here and in Part 3 of The #InnocenceFraud Scam of Jodi Jones🌻 Sadistic & Psychopathic Schoolboy Killer & His Abusive Enablers blog series here.

Stephanie Bon stated the following;

UPDATE on Justice 4 Simon – March 2010

Dear all,

I hope this finds you all well.
It seems like a lifetime since I last wrote for this website (J4S) but I feel that the time has come to update everyone.

You will all be aware that Simon has been granted his appeal and has his first Directional Meeting on the 10th of March 2010. The actual Appeal should follow soon after.

The legal system is all-powerful and it takes nothing short of human miracles to overturn wrongful convictions. The pressures to surmount are huge and people rarely know how to act or cope with the consequences attached to Miscarriages of Justice.

I am extremely proud of the years I spent fighting with Simons Mother to try and overturn his conviction but unfortunately, after so long, the pressures and frustrations got to us all and abruptly brought our alliance to an end.

This was a very sad and difficult time for us. After Simons conviction, I believed the experiences wed been through would seal us all together forever.

Luckily for us all, the wheels of justice were in motion by then and we had established such a powerful legal and support team for Simon that I could rest a little in the knowledge that it was then only a question of time before he came home.

On the day that Simon was granted his appeal by the CCRC, the emotions were so powerful that the pressures and disagreements the family and I encountered seemed to evaporate.

Our shared goal brought us back together and we congratulated each other on our achievement. None of us had ever taken our eyes off the ball and it could only end this way.

Since the announcement was made in Oct 2009, Simons mother and I have worked very hard at reigniting the flame that was between us when we gave up our lives to fight for justice. Did it ever really go out?
Im not sure but the most important thing is that we are getting ready to unite again and support each other for the final hurdle.

Simon Hall was convicted for a crime he didnt commit, and that is the reason why his family, friends and I fought so hard for so many years. I believe that we reached a point where Simons credibility was restored and where he was finally recognised as an innocent man by much of the public. How far we have come..

This is a situation, like so many others, where it is very difficult for anyone to understand the dynamics and motivations unless they have themselves been through it. Before I met Simon Hall, I had no idea that Miscarriages of Justice happened.

I am disappointed that my relationship with Simon has broken down as far as it has but I have to take into account the fact that he has been isolated for so long and may have a limited understanding of our reality on the outside. I hope Simon realises that nothing has changed and that we all still want justice.

I am not trying to take away from Simons suffering or the fact that he has been the one locked up for so many years now. However, I believe that there is more than one victim when Miscarriages of Justice happen.

Lets not forget Mrs Albert. I pray that the police finally start looking for the real criminal so that she can rest in peace. She and her family were always in our hearts when we ran Justice 4 Simon.

I had no contact with Simon since leaving his campaign and then on the news of his appeal, I wrote to him to congratulate him on this and his wedding.

I felt very sad when I received a phone call a few days ago from Simons new wife, requesting that I do not attend the appeal and still wonder about the reasons behind this. The words you have hassled Simon and injunction were mentioned and I was completely taken aback by these comments.

I will be announcing the date of the appeal on Insidedoubt and hope to see as many familiar faces there as I can. It has been a long and rocky road and we can finally see the end. The appeal hearing is the final stage and I know I speak for all of Simons supporters when I say how glad we will be when his day comes.

Everything that is about to unfold in front of us is down to all of us. Fighting this awful Miscarriage of Justice has been an incredible experience and I pray that the next few months reveal the truth and nothing but.

I have no doubt in my mind that Simons conviction will be quashed on the day of the appeal and that he will be free to live his life again.

Steffie

Thank you all again for your support over the years and below is my personal list of thanks.

I couldnt have done it without you all

Thank you to, my Family, Mum, Dad, Oli, I love you more than words can say
My friends, Andy, Danya, Steve, all the kids/family, you are my world and I wouldnt be here if it wasnt for you.
Carl, our baby angel in the sky for showing me light.
Mr D, my saviour, my inspiration, my force, my Ray Winston J.
Keith and Barri, for giving me hope. Ill never forget your day in court.
Paul B, I love you forever
Mike OBrien, my wonderful Welsh friend
Thank you to Simons family, we had some great times and there are more to come
Lee, you understand me
Phoebe, supa gal, love you baby girl
John Hatton aka tonton John, you had faith in me from the word go, youre amazing, amazing, amazing!
Andrew and Ann at Innocent, so much advice, so much comfort and support.
Mr Campbell Malone, no words can describe you or how grateful I am
Mr Peter Bull, the forensic for dummies really helped, thank you for everything
Mr Allan Jamieson, a generous and kind man.
Chris Mole, Bob Russell and Chris Magee, for the support, the work, the faith and the credibility
Mr Naughton, my moody mate J and the students for their hard work
Mr Michael Mansfield, Simon does not look like Beckham!
Nick Rigby, my pal at the BBC
Danielle Nutall, a tough cookie to crumble. Like me
My old colleagues and my boss Sue, for letting me do work when I needed to and for all the support.
To every single supporter who ever wrote to me and comforted me, trusted me and in turn, Simon, thank you.
Stephanie Bon via her now defunct website called Inside Doubt

Joan Albert’s killer Simon Hall appeared at the court of appeal on the 10th of March 2010 for a preliminary appeals hearing. Sandra Lean and Billy Middleton attended the hearing.

Link to Part 18e here

Killer Simon Hall: Lynne Hall, The Cover Up & Attempting To Rewrite History – Part 7©️

Killer Simon Hall and the Hall family members, Shaun, Lynne and Phil Hall utilised a plethora of diversionary tactics to help Simon avoid responsibility for his murder of Joan Albert.

The Hall families deceptive tactics started with their initial contact with Suffolk police, their police interviews and witness statements and continued through Simon Hall’s February 2003 trial.

Their lies, deceptive and diversionary tactics also permeated their fraudulent public relations campaign which followed.

Simon Hall’s adoptive mother Lynne Hall gave numerous conflicting accounts to Suffolk police and used various types of lies, distractions and manipulative tactics in an attempt to deflect away attention and cover up for her adoptive son.

This included in relation to when killer Simon Hall arrived at her and her husband Phil’s house on the morning of Sunday the 16th December 2001, having literally just committed murder.

In Lynne Hall’s first police witness statement, two days after her friends murder, she shared a new memory.

Lynne Hall offered up two possible new suspects, in what appeared to be an obvious attempt to draw attention away from her youngest adoptive killer son.

Lynne Hall told police;

I have since remembered an incident that I found disturbing at the time.

On the Monday or Tuesday of the previous week the 10th and 11th December I was rushing to get home.

I was walking past the village bar which is part of the village hall. I had been to see my friend Barbara ****** who lives in Longperry.

I was walking back home and took a short cut across the village green and past the village hall and bar. It was very dark. I think the time would be around 5.30pm.

I wasn’t expecting to see anybody. Suddenly I noticed a youth jump off the roof and he landed right beside me, almost immediately a second youth jumped down almost landing on the first.

The first one who jumped was 19 into his early 20’s. I got the impression he had short dark hair and was wearing dark clothing. I got the impression that he had a pleasant face, he seemed to look at me before moving off.

Again I got the impression they seemed guilty but I thought they had possibly been smoking up there. Both were white men.

The second one was thinner and of the same age, he was wearing a casual white jacket and either a white hood or a hat. The second man looked at me but not full in the face. The second man actually looked back at me.

None of them said anything. I don’t think I did. I just exclaimed out loud. I don’t think that I would recognise them again.

I did think about ringing the barman Trevor ***** who is a builder in the village, in fact I didn’t do that. That roof is quite high with a flat roof. I believe from that roof Joan’s house could be seen
Excerpts from Lynne Hall police witness statement dated 18th December 2001

It is not known if Lynne Hall also got the impression her youngest adoptive son Simon Hall seemed guilty when she first saw him at 6.28am, when he turned up at 8 Snowcroft on that Sunday morning in the black larey and loud shirt with the red splashes over it.

Lynne Hall would not see this shirt again after it was disposed of on the Monday morning.

In her second police witness statement Lynne Hqll appeared to want to expand on what she had told police on the 18th December 2001. Lynne stated;

Further to my original statement I would like to add the following information.

As I was such good friends with Mrs Albert and would often be in her house I saw her bedroom on several occasions.

Joan had a bedside table that was built in the headboard in a complete unit. Usually next to her bed she would have a reading book, reading glasses, usually a drink either water or tea, a mobile phone, although I think that may have changed towards the end.

I think her tablets were also there, she was on both heart and water tablets, the tablets made her get up quite often at night.

Joan also kept Rusty’s tablets by her bedside table but only when the dog was playing up and had not taken them.

Joan did suffer from indigestion and when she was suffering would get her Gaviscon out. It was her indigestion that would often mean she would have a light snack at around 5pm and maybe a dry biscuit later in the evening

Going back to the week before Mrs Albert’s death, I think that on the Tuesday night, the 11th of December, I went round to my friend Barbara ******’s house, she lives at Long Perry in Capel.

I know (sic) Barbara years as we used to work together at Boots and I now take her dog to agility, I think I walked Molly, her dog, before it got dark maybe around 3.15 to 3.30 pm. I spoke to Barbara at her house for some time but I remember I wanted to be home by 5 pm as I was collecting for the RSPCA that evening.

I walked home via the pathways, I have marked a map of Capel area with my route between Long Perry and my home address, I produce the plan as exhibit RLH/1.

As I walked down the side of the bar which is at the back of the village hall two youths jumped down off the roof almost onto me.

There is a footway down there and it was almost at the point where the path joins the alley that runs between Vine Walk and Boydlands. I have marked my plan with a cross at this point.

I cannot remember the exact time this was, but I was only a few minutes from home, so I think it would be about 5pm. When I got home Philip was at home because I used the car to collect so I think it was definitely that Tuesday.

The youths jumped from the flat roof above the door to the Vine Lounge, that is about 7-8 feet off the ground and has asphalt on the top, above that there is a much bigger roof which again is flat but has a wall round it so people can, and do, go up there.

These two youths were aged from 19 – early 20’s, they were certainly not the group that had been bothering Joan. The first one jumped off and landed almost beside me startling me, I exclaimed out loud ’You made me jump’ the youth did not say anything, but looked at me and moved away towards the front of the village hall, the second one jumped down a few seconds later. I got the impression because the roofs were staged the second one had been coming down from the higher level when the first was jumping down.

Now I seem to recall two thuds from him. The second man did not say anything either but they both walked round the corner together. I cannot add anything further regarding their descriptions from my first statement.

From that corner of the roof of the village hall you would have a clear view into Joan Albert’s rear garden, which diagonally would only be 15-20 yards away.
Excerpts from Lynne Halls police witness statement dated 14th February 2002

On the 7th of February 2002 the Evening Star newspaper ran a story headed Truck Driver Clue in Murder Hunt. It read;

A pick-up truck driver might have vital information that could help track down the killer of murdered Suffolk pensioner Joan Albert.

Detectives hunting the killer of the 79-year-old from Capel St Mary are anxious to speak to the driver of a white, flat back truck seen parked in the village’s shopping precinct, near to the church hall, at around 4.50am on Sunday, December 16, last year.

Widow Mrs Albert was found dead in the hallway of her Boydlands home at around 10am the same day. Her body was peppered with stab wounds.

Detective Superintendent Roy Lambert, who is heading the murder hunt, said: “Several people have said that a white truck, similar to a Ford P100, was parked in the car park near the church hall in the very early hours of Sunday morning.

“I would like to emphasise that we have no reason to believe that the driver of this vehicle was involved in the attack on Mrs Albert. However, we urgently need to speak to them as they may have seen something that could prove to be important to our inquiry.

“The truck is of a fairly common type and could belong to a local farmer, builder or other trades person. I would like to appeal directly to whoever was in that truck to contact the inquiry team so that we can check if they saw anything and then eliminate them from our investigation.”

It is almost eight weeks since Mrs Albert was killed and since the launch of the murder inquiry, police have received more than 450 calls from members of the public offering information which have generated more than 1,400 lines of inquiry. Officers have taken over 360 statements.

Det Supt Lambert said:

“This inquiry has received a great deal of support from the community, media and the general public and this is reflected in the volume of information that has been generated to date.

“However, we still need to hear from anyone who saw or heard anything suspicious in the area of the Boydlands between 9pm on Saturday, December 15, and 9am the following day.

The pick-up truck driver, or anyone else with information, should contact the murder incident room on 01473 613777 .

The Evening Star and Capel businesses are offering a £5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the killer.
Excerpts by Lisa Baxter for the Evening Star from an article headed Truck driver clue in murder hunt dated the 7th of February 2002

Lynne Hall jumped on the police appeal and in response went on to tell police;

I have recently seen a press release where the police were appealing for a white vehicle.

In the early part of the week prior to Joan Albert’s death I saw what I thought was a small white grubby workmans type van in the Co-op car park facing the childrens swings level with the Chinese Takeaway.

The vehicle had a small cab with a flat back, which had low sides, I think it was about dinnertime because there was a two men in the cab and I remember thinking they would be having dinner.

I got the impression that they were in their 30 or 40’s, both men were white and looked like workmen. The van was not signwritten, I did not look in the back.

I saw the same vehicle again later on in the week, either the Thursday or Friday, this time there was nobody in the cab. I think it was again during the day and it was parked in the village hall car park facing towards the swings and the Co-op car park, in fact almost opposite where I had seen it before. I got the impression it was empty, there was nothing over the sides and I did not see any building material

I am willing to assist police in this matter and will attend court if required
Excerpt from Lynne Hall’s police witness statement dated 14th February 2002

However an excerpt from page 36 of the judges summing up from Simon Hall’s February 2003 trial read;

A white pickup was reported by one villager as seen at 4.50 in the morning of Sunday the 16th, Superintendent Lambert told you there was then an effort to trace it, although there was no suggestion at all that it had been involved and whether or not it had ever been there at all, whether the lady was accurate or mistaken as to date.

The effort the police made with the help of the media was not only so as to try and find it, but also so as to keep up the publicity momentum, hoping to encourage the emergence of other potentially useful information
Excerpt from page 36 of the judges summing up

Although Lynne Hall may or may not have seen the grubby workmans type van, as she described it the police would no doubt have been interested in what she told them.

It is not known how many informants contacted the police following their appeal about the white pickup truck but it’s possible Lynne Hall’s story may have also sparked police suspicions regarding her behaviour.

On the same day her adoptive son Simon Hall was asked to make a formal police witness statement as a TIE suspect, Lynne Hall was also asked to make a third statement, in full it read;

Further to my previous statements in relation to the night of Saturday 15th December 2001 in which I described being ill and spending most of the day and night in bed.

Quite early on the morning of Sunday 16th December 2001 I got up to make a cup of tea.

I was in the kitchen the time was approximately 6.00am to 6.30am when Simon my son came home

We had a brief conversation in which Simon mentioned about being in Ipswich that night and he then went to bed
Lynne Hall’s police witness statement dated 7th March 2002

On the day of her adoptive sons arrest however, Lynne Hall stated;

I was up making a tea when he got in, he seemed happy and said he had had a good time, I remember he said he was tired and asked if he had time to get an hours sleep.

I can’t remember if he did.

We certainly had a cup of tea and a chat, it was not unusual to see him come in then.

I don’t remember what he was wearing when he came in.

In any event he got changed before going out for the day.

I don’t remember what he was wearing but we did take several family photographs of the day.

If he was wearing a jacket it would have been a cream designer shiney type jacket with a warm lining.

I was up in the kitchen when Simon got in but I do not recall the time.

The phone is in the lounge and if it does ring I usually wake up.

We did talk and he wanted to know how I had been, I got the impression a girl was involved and as his mum I did not want to dig too deep

Simon appeared to enjoy our family day and was his usual entertaining self.

When we left to go to Lincolnshire Simon’s black Audi was parked on the left of the drive towards the kitchen window.

When we got home that Sunday I was feeling ill again, I did not do any washing until the Monday or Tuesday.

Phil and I have a laundry basket in the shower room and I think that morning he put his clothes in there, often though he would leave them in his room and I would pick them up and wash them.

Going to Lincolnshire we rook Phil’s company Ford Mondeo and we actually left about 8.30am. I would say that over Christmas Simon was in a fairly good frame of mind even though he had had the problem with Zoe

I am willing to assist police in this matter and will attend court if required
Excerpts from Lynne Hall’s 25th July 2002 police witness statement

It is not known what Lynne and Phil Hall thought about their adoptive son Simon’s missing clothing, including his black leather jacket, new trousers, larey shirt and black office shoes or if there was ever a conversation had between them all as to where his clothing, shoes and jacket had disappeared to.

The clothing, shoes and jacket Simon had been wearing on the Saturday night and during the Sunday morning when he had murdered Joan Albert, ended up in an industrial waste disposal bin situated near to State Chemicals, where he worked at the time with his girlfriend Stephanie Bon in Colchester, Essex.

Simon Hall claimed he initially put these items in the bottom of the wardrobe of bedroom 3 at 8 Snowcroft and then at some point he put them in a bag.

Then early on the Monday morning, he left his parents house and had driven to his place of employment in Colchester to see his line manager to ask for a couple of days off, using the excuse his mother Lynne was upset following her friends murder.

Simon Hall’s line manager stated;

About 9.00am on Monday 17th December 2001 I was in my office at State Chemicals when I received a telephone call on my direct line from Simon asking if I could meet him downstairs. I remember the date because my father had a heart attack and had a triple bypass on the 17th December

I went downstairs and outside into the courtyard where we used to stand to have a smoke. I can’t recall the exact words Simon used but it was something like ‘could he possibly have a couple of days off as his neighbour had been found dead and his mum was upset’. I asked him if he was alright and he said ‘Yes, it was a bit of a shock’. I decided to let him have the time off as he seemed to be close to his mum although I had come to work myself with all the problems and my dad being unwell

Simon did seem a little upset he seemed more concerned about his mum

I believe he was wearing a pale silver and blue roll neck jumper that morning, he certainly wasn’t dressed as it he was coming into work. I cannot recall what else he had on
Excerpts from police witness statement of Simon Hall’s Line Manager at State Chemicals, Colchester dated 13th September 2002

Following her adoptive son Simon’s arrest in July 2002, Lynne Hall made a 10 page police witness statement.

Some further excerpts from Lynne’s statement read;

I would say Simon had a happy time at primary school and initially when he attended East Bergholt School. I have subsequently found that there was a bad element in Capel and at the school which centred around Simon and Shaun’s year. I think in the early stages it was a gang of local boys

The Russell family moved into the close well over 10 years ago, I am not sure of the number but from our kitchen window you can look at the side of their house. They had a family of three boys the eldest of which was around four years younger than Simon, at the moment I can’t recall their names but Mrs Russell is a nurse at Ipswich and Mr Russell, is in insurance. Initially I found W**** Russell to be quite pleasant but very soon we fell out or began to avoid them. Really this was because the eldest son caused trouble from the start, he kept urinating next to our house, caused trouble at playgroup, kicked the ball onto our garden and even cut bushes down by the side of the house. He was bullying younger kids, he got banned from Scout trips because he set fire to a tent. Eventually I came home one day at lunchtime and caught the boy throwing grass cuttings onto our lawn and when I confronted him he swore at me and called me names. I was so annoyed that I confronted *****, eventually she seemed to accept that it was down to her son, although she seemed quite nice we never ever got on after that and the relationship deteriorated very badly. All the boys seemed to follow the same pattern as the oldest Russell. After that there were all manner of minor problems and W**** Russell was always over complaining and usually it was about Simon. It got to the point where we would not even open the door to them. As the situation developed over the years it was clear that the family did not like Simon, the Russell’s meanwhile continued causing problems at school and the police were even called regarding the Russell children making false calls

Simon did okay at school and passed five or six GCSE’s, he began the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. He continued onto the Sixth Form and I think that’s where Simon’s drug problems began. The Sixth Form was actually at Chantry, when he began the Sixth Form he started to get really down on himself, he got moody, had moodswings became argumentative it seemed that it was directed against himself, he lost confidence and went into a downward spiral

It was about six months into the school year when Abbey who had been his girlfriend died of meningitis, at the time of her death they were just very good friends. Her death hit him very hard and I think he got depressed and his school work suffered even more. We went to see the headteacher and although he felt that Simon had the potential to get his A levels the problems had become too much, eventually it was decided that Simon should leave. Simon spent some time at home and Phil and I talked to him at length about his career

I can’t remember exactly when but both boys spent some time at the Little Chef on a part time basis. Over this period of time I was beginning to find items that I thought were related to drugs, I thought it was Shaun as he had been going to Raves and I spoke to him about it. I have subsequently thought about it and feel that Simon may have been taking illegal drugs at that time

At the time while Simon was on bail the Russells accused Simon of kicking their car in Snowcroft. I was at home with Shaun and we went over to speak to them, in fact Phil, Shaun and his girlfriend went over and I remained at home. Simon was not staying at home but I think Shaun had told him what had taken place. Subsequently Simon was arrested and convicted of assault on the Russell boy and sentenced to seventeen months in prison. I think Simon was released since November/October 1997, to my knowledge he has not been in trouble since
Excerpts from Lynne Hall’s police witness statement dated 25th July 2002

However the Russell boy who Simon Hall assaulted told police;

I attended Capel St Mary Primary School, which is where I first met Simon Hall. He was a couple of years above me at school

During my time at Primary school I did suffer a few problems with Simon Hall bullying me

On a couple of occasions I recall Simon pushing me into bushes on the way home or saying nasty things to me. One such time was when Simon became quite physical with me and the caretaker at the time had to intervene, I believe I was around eleven years old at the time

Things seemed to settle down and I did not suffer any further problems at school, until I reach (sic) East Bergholt High School. At the time I suffered bullying from another boy, by the name of Matthew ******. He was a year above me at school, and I admit now I was quite a cheeky youngster, but don’t know the exact reason he picked on me. I also remember that Simon Hall, who was a good friend to Matthew ******, was usually in the background. He didn’t seem to take an active part but would be present

Following this, my parents invited both Simon Hall’s and Matthew ******’s parents over to discuss the problems between us children. Fortunately after this meeting the bullying seemed to die down and I didn’t really suffer any further problems

It was on my 17th birthday, that my girlfriend, *** and I decided to go into Ipswich town centre to the cinema. Having just come out of McDonalds in the centre of town, we crossed over the road where I saw three people walking towards us. I recognised one male as Simon Hall, but it was dark and I couldn’t see the other two people. They blocked my path so I couldn’t walk through, and I started to get concerned. Simon spoke to me, and mentioned an incident, which had occurred between his brother and my dad. Although I recalled some detail about this incident, I denied all knowledge to Simon, as I did not want any trouble. I believe due to his language and aggressive behaviour, that he was either drunk or under the influence of drugs. I remember Simon approaching me, and receiving a blow to the head, my next memory was waking up in an ambulance with my girlfriend *** besides me. Police were involved and I believe Simon was sentenced to a term of imprisonment.

The next contact I had with Simon was shortly after he was released from prison. I was sitting in my car outside my parent’s house with my girlfriend *** chatting. Simon came over to the car, and initially I was quite apprehensive as (sic) unsure what he was going to say or do. When I found out he just wanted to apologise, I was quite shocked. Although I’m still not sure if it was his own choice, or whether his parents had encouraged him

Simon apologised for his behaviour and we actually had quite a good chat. It was quite nice, as it seemed to clear the air, and from then on whenever we saw each other we would stop for a short chat. It also improved relationships with his parents, as they would smile at me if they saw me

I also made amends with Matthew ****** having met him at the Jet garage in Capel St Mary. A group of friends all met up and Matthew ****** and Simon Hall were amongst them. We got on well and they even made a joke about not picking on me now due to my build
Excerpts from one of the Russell children dated 28th November 2002

Lynne Hall’s line manager made a statement to the police on the 28th November 2002, she told police;

I am employed by Boots opticians at 5 Tavern Street, Ipswich, Suffolk

I am currently the assistant manager on that department and have held this position in Ipswich for the past two years. I am responsible for twenty members of staff including a lady by the name of Mrs Lynn Hall who is a customer Service Advisor on our department

I am aware that Mrs’s Hall’s son, Simon Hall has been arrested in connection with the murder of an elderly lady in Capel St Mary, Suffolk

On Saturday 8th December 2001 I attended the Boots Christmas function at the County Hotel in Ipswich

I travelled with another colleague namely ***** ***** who was on maternity leave at the time. We collected Lynn Hall from her home in Capel St Mary

I loaned to Lynn one of my jackets which I shall describe as follows: “Black Ladies Evening Jacket labelled ”J-Taylor (100% polyester, 100% Acetate lining). This jacket is size 12 and has embroidery and black beading around the collar and lapels. Lynn wore this jacket the same evening

I have thought very hard about when Lynn returned this jacket to me and I have to say that I cannot remember when it was. I cannot remember where we were when Lynn returned my jacket to me. I can say that Lynn has never been to my house and I have only been inside Lynn’s house on two occasions. The first time being on the evening of Saturday 8th December 2001 when we collected her for the social function and the second being since July 2002 when I visited her in a welfare capacity as her Line Manager. Since loaning the jacket to Lynn Hall I have not worn it and neither have I had it dry cleaned. To my knowledge Lynn did not have the jacket dry cleaned prior to giving it back to me

At 12.30pm today (Thursday 28th November 2002) I handed to Dc 951 H***** of the Suffolk Constabulary the aforementioned jacket

I saw Dc H***** package the jacket within a brown paper sack which I placed directly into the sack. Dc H***** did not touch the jacket prior to sealing it in the bag
Excerpts from police witness statement of Lynne Hall’s line manager dated 28th November 2002

An excerpt from the prosecutions closing speech, during Simon Hall’s murder trial regarding Lynne Hall’s concocted evidence read;

Well members of the jury I’ve dealt with the shoes except in this regard.

Do you remember that very small piece of evidence given by Mrs Hall in what I described and as I underline as being an essentially concocted part of this case?

To mislead you away from the truth.

Given she’d been ill up and down during the night all the previous day, she now remembers she said to him as he past through can I clean your tan boots. 6.30am on a Sunday morning.

Do you believe it?
Excerpt from page 31 of prosecutions closing speech given by Graham Parkin

Link to Part 8 here

Killer Simon Hall: Power & Control – Part 6 ©️

Simon Hall spent the Saturday night and early Sunday morning hours of the 15th and 16th December 2001 frequenting a couple of pubs in Ipswich and then went on to a nightclub called Liquid.

He left Liquid nightclub at around 2am with Jamie Barker, who was then the assistant manager of The Old Rep public house.

Both men spent around 3 hours together in Ipswich town centre, before walking to the Woolpack public house, ran by Scott Doughty, where Simon had been earlier in the night and left his car keys.

After getting his car keys from Scott Doughty, Simon Hall drove Jamie Barker home to Jamie’s mother Angela’s house in Myrtle Road, Ipswich, arriving at around 5.30am.

Simon Hall then drove to his adoptive parents Phil and Lynne Hall‘s house in Capel St Mary.

It would have taken Simon Hall approximately 20 minutes to drive back to Capel St Mary from Jamie’s mothers house in Ipswich, as can be seen from the google maps image below;

The 2011 Court of Appeal judgment, which can be read here wrongly stated at paragraph 4 that Simon Hall’s drive back from Jamie Barker’s address in Ipswich to Capel St Mary was a journey of some 5 minutes.

It was not and it is not known how or why the court of appeal judges got the timings wrong.

After parking his car in Snowcroft, Capel St Mary, Simon Hall walked to Joan Albert’s home.

He made claim he put his socks over his hands to use as gloves, which is something the prosecution had indicated he may have done during his trial, as can be seen from an excerpt from the prosecutions closing speech;

Our submission to you is that it’s obvious one. That this as I’ve described in careful burglar had covered his hands. Whether with gloves, socks, you remember Mr Swann hesitated a moment before agreeing to that. It may be he’s been out of the police force a very long time, but he accepted, yes he understands that sometimes socks are used. Any piece of material, pull down your cuffs if it goes long enough, will do (sic)
Graham Parkin QC (Page 13, B)

Simon Hall then claimed he used a long metal pole to smash Joan Albert’s ground floor kitchen window, located at the back of her property.

Broken kitchen window of 15 Boydlands, Capel St Mary

Pieces of glass were removed from the window frame and placed on the grass near a large frog ornament, as can be seen in the above crime scene photograph.

Simon Hall said he was able to climb through the window with ease as the black leather jacket he was wearing over his black larey or loud shirt with red splashes over it “protected’ him.

Once inside he said he looked for a “big looking” knife in Joan Albert’s kitchen drawer to “scare her” with, but it appears the noise of the breaking glass may have already disturbed Joan Albert.

Simon Hall went on to allege that when he turned from having taken the knife from the kitchen drawer, Joan Albert was standing there and allegedly said to him “What are you doing”?

There was further evidence at the crime scene suggesting Joan Albert may have awoken after hearing her kitchen window being smashed and went down stairs to investigate, as her large yellow torch was found in her hallway, laying on the floor near her feet.

One of Joan Albert’s feet still had a slipper on but the other slipper was off, presumably from when she was attacked and fell, or was pushed to the floor, or during some other event caused by Simon Hall.

A second torch was found laying on its side behind a silver framed photo of Joan Albert’s husband Cyril, on her hall table close by to where Joan’s body was found.

Lynne Hall told Suffolk police two months after her friend Joan Albert’s murder;

Joan also had either a yellow or orange torch, it was quite substantial because we actually joked about her hitting someone with it.

Joan bought the torch in the summer of 2001 when she was having the trouble with the kids.

The torch was beneficial as she let the dog out into the garden several times per night
Excerpt from Lynne Hall’s police witness statement dated 14th February 2002

Simon Hall claimed he did not stab Joan Albert in the back, as was suggested by the pathologist Dr Michael Heath and presented during his trial.

He alleged he had stabbed Joan Albert from the front and the knife had penetrated “all the way through” her slim frame.

Diagrams indicating the position of some of Joan Albert’s injuries can be viewed here

The crime scene suggested evidence of a disturbance on Joan Albert’s stair landing, where ornaments had been knocked over.

It’s possible Joan Albert may have knocked these over on her way down the stairs, or possibly when she made an attempt to go upstairs, in order to flee from Simon Hall.

A scene of crime officer stated;

The premises are a three-bedroom link detached house in a small cul-de-sac road.

The from garden is an open plan garden with a path to the front door and a drive to the garage door.

The rear garden is enclosed with scrubs and a 6-foot wooden panelled fence.

The garden is surrounded by gardens from other premises. Entry to the rear garden is by a secure door between the garage and the main house.

The house has a main entrance door at the front, which leads into the hall, with doors off to the lounge, downstairs toilet and kitchen and stairway to the first floor.

The lounge leads through to the dining room, which leads through to the kitchen.

The kitchen leads back to a hallway and the rear door.

The stairs lead to a landing, which has doors leading to the three bedrooms, the bathroom and the airing cupboard

we carried out a visual examination of the outside of the premises, the footpath that runs down the side of 17 Boydlands and side of 3 Vine Walk and the garden of 3 Vine Walk.

On the outside of the wooden fence to 3 Vine Walk were two indented shoe impressions in the grass.

Inside the garden of 3 Vine Walk next to the fence was another shoe impression in the flowerbed.

This shoe mark corresponded to the other shoe marks on the other side of the fence.

At the bottom of the garden next to the fence which backs onto the garden of 15 Boydland’s of 3 Vine Walk is black plastic compost converter, which had traces of dirt smeared across the too edge of it.

In the garden of 15 Boydland’s on the other side of the fence, which corresponds to the black plastic compost converter was a shoe mark impression in the flowerbed.

We then carried out a visual examination of the house.

The rear kitchen casement window had been smashed, with most of the glass out of the frame, some of the glass lay on the lawn and some lay on the worktop inside the window.

On the grass outside was a white coloured concrete frog, which appeared to have been moved from its original position on the lawn.

Inside the hallway lay the deceased occupant of the house, Mrs Joan Albert.

She lay on her back with her head up against the downstairs cloakroom door.

She was dressed in a white coloured nightdress and a red coloured dressing gown.

The dressing gown was open exposing the nightdress.

There was blood staining to the nightdress around the abdomen and chest area.

Ornaments and a flower arrangement had been knocked off a small shelf at the bottom of the stairs.

An eight and a half inch kitchen knife lay on the kitchen floor.

The cutlery drawer in the kitchen was open and a similar kitchen knife to that on the floor was half sticking out of the drawer.

The only other disturbance in the house was the plant pots on the inside of the kitchen windowsill had been knocked off into the sink and draining board
Excerpts from police scene of crime officer witness statement dated 21st January 2002

After carrying out his brutal and violent knife attack, and when Joan Albert was finally laying down on the floor of her downstairs hallway, Simon Hall claimed he had masturbated whilst standing over her body.

It was presumably also around this time Simon Hall had lifted up Joan Albert’s night wear.

Simon Hall claimed he had put his hand into his under pants whilst he was still fully clothed, apparently to ensure he did not leave any traces of his semen or bodily fluids behind.

Simon Hall also made the claim he had defecated in Joan Albert’s garden after he had committed his murder.

It is not known if this incident did occur, although police forensics did remove faeces from Joan Albert’s garden as part of their crime scene forensic examinations. The faeces was bagged and labelled as ‘dog excrement’.

A police forensic document stated;

The body of Joan Albert was found in the hallway of her home when neighbours failed to make contact with her by telephone early on Sunday morning, 16/12/01.

A spare key was used to gain entry to the premises, whereupon they found her laid on the floor, wearing her nightdress, dressing gown and slippers.

The deceased’s legs were slightly parted and her clothing was up by her chest, leaving her naked below the waist.

Whilst the front and rear doors were believed to be locked securely, it was observed that a rear kitchen window had been smashed and pieces of glass picked out of the frame, creating a hole large enough to be used as a point of entry and exit.

The deceased had received multiple stab wounds and a knife of the appropriate size/length was found on the kitchen carpet.

Amongst the injuries noted during the post mortem examination of the deceased were some knife cuts which appear to have been made some time after death
Excerpt from Operation Magdala police forensic document

During the initial stages of the crime scene examination, blood staining was observed in the hallway where the altercation appears to have taken place.

It was noted a yellow torch bore smeared blood and there was a single drop of blood on the hall table.

A knife, believed to be the murder weapon, was found on the kitchen floor, and although not obviously blood stained, it appears to have fatty smears on the blade.

An examination of the rear garden of the premises and the likely exit route over the fence of the adjourning property, 3 Vine Walk, revealed footwear impression.

These impressions appear to have been made by a plain soled shoe with a heel (the heel bearing a fine mesh pattern)
Excerpt from Operation Magdala police forensic document

Joan Albert’s body and clothing were tested for any evidence of direct sexual activity. None were reported to be found.

The long metal pole Simon Hall claimed he used to break the downstairs kitchen window was found by forensic officers in a neighbours garden.

It was labelled as exhibit AMB3 and Judith Cunnison, a forensic expert stated in her witness statement;

The fibres recovered from the metal pole (AMB3) differ from the constituent fibres of the dressing gown (MH8) and the flock fibres from 15 Boydlands
Excerpt from Judith Cunnison’s 12th of December 2002 police witness statement

Below are extracts taken from a 2013 forensic psychologists report;

..he was driving home in his newly acquired car in the early hours of the morning.

He stated that he became, and persisted in being, preoccupied with the ’idea of raping someone’.

This notion, he said, persisted and he drove directly to the house of the victim, with the intention of raping her in her house – he could give no coherent account as to why this elderly lady was the focus for his sexual or violent preoccupations

At around 6 a.m. he broke into her house via a kitchen window.

He was confronted by Mrs Albert who asked him what he was doing.

He took a knife from the kitchen and stabbed her in the chest (he did not refer to stabbing her in the back).

The elderly lady fell to the floor (he maintained he attacked her in the kitchen, but her body was found by the neighbour in the hall at the foot of the stairs).
Excerpts from page 10 of William Long’s November 2013 psychology report

It is not known if killer Simon Hall confided in, or confessed to Joan Albert’s murder, in the early hours or days of the police investigations to any of his immediate family members, or others.

But it became clear they had their suspicions (Whether conscience or sub-conscience) based on their lies, deceptions, concoctions, smears and other telling and manipulative behaviours.

Link to Part 7 here

Killer Simon Hall: The Missing Black “Larey or Loud” Shirt With “Red Splashes Over It” Evidenced By A Photograph – Part 5 ©️

Much was made by all the Hall family members (Lynne, Phil and Shaun) and people like Stephanie Bon, about the black mole skin type trousers which they falsely claimed Simon Hall had never owned.

But nothing was ever said by any of them about the black “larey or loud” shirt with the “red in it”, which Simon Hall had previously owned and wore on the night of Saturday the 15th and the morning of 16th of December 2001.

It is not known how Phil and Lynne Hall could seemingly forget about Simon Hall’s black “larey or loud” shirt with the “red in it”, but he left their house at 8 Snowcroft on the Saturday wearing the shirt and also went back to his adoptive parents house on the Sunday morning at 6:28am in the same larey shirt.

Although Phil Hall claimed to police;

I do not know what he was wearing that day at all

It’s difficult to believe Phil Hall walked around wearing blinkers, as was the impression he appeared to want to give Suffolk police throughout their investigation.

Nicola a friend of Laura T’s, another woman Simon Hall had met up with leading up to (and following) his murder of Joan Albert, and who was also mentioned during Simon’s police interviews over the 25th and 26th July 2002 told police;

I am employed by Ryan Air working as cabin crew from Stansted airport. I have held this position approx 1 year. I drive a BMW Mini

I can recall the following. I have met Simon on three occasions.

According to my diary, that is in my possession, the first time was 8th December 2001 when my friend Laura T********* and I went to Liquids nightclub in Cardinal Park, in Ipswich. I have known Laura for approx three years

We would go clubbing up to three times a week mainly in Colchester or ’Kings’ at Copford

When she suggested going to ’Liquids’ nightclub on 8th December 2001 I agreed as I knew she might see ’Simon’ a lad she had met the previous week

Liquid on a Saturday night is smart dress, no jeans, no trainers, collars for the men and I believe it closes at 0200 hours. Laura drove that night her Suburu Impretza colour yellow to the parking area in front of the club and we got out of her car around 2130 hours wearing wigs.

We had been to Lakeside shopping that day and bought them. Mine was a long red colour and Lauras a blonde/brown one longer than mine.

We walked to the queue and Laura and Simon had to double take one another as he didn’t instantly recognise her wig and she had forgotten exactly what he looked like. We then queued with the lad I now know as Simon and his older friend.

Simon I would describe as white, 5ft 8” with dark short hair, aged about twenty years. He was not skinny and wore smart clothing. He was very quiet. His friend was white, really tall about 6ft and skinny. He was older with short gingery hair.

I wasn’t in too good a mood that night I recall and so not much conversation was had either in the queue or club, however I do recall laughing at Simons shirt which was black with red splashes over it. It was a ’bit larey’ or loud.

He also wore black trousers but I cannot recall details of these or his footwear.

Simon took the criticism in good humour. Once inside the club Laura and Simon did spend most of the night together but weren’t close like a couple

We left at around 0100 hours that night with Lauras attitude ”see if he rings”.

I know she had trouble contacting Simon as she didn’t have a mobile number for him. He didn’t have one. I had to ring his house one day on her behalf to check if it was a true number he had given Laura and indeed the answer machine said ”you have reached Mr and Mrs Hall…”. This put Lauras mind at rest. I think the voice on the machine was male

On Saturday 8th Dec 2001 Laura took a photograph of me – and Simon Hall with his friend in the background. I have today handed this to PC 10

On Saturday 15th December 2001 Laura and I again went to Liquids, Ipswich

We spent most of this evening in the main dance floor area and Simon was standing out in there. He seemed pleased to see Laura

During the course of this night Laura and Simon did not spend an awful lot of time together, but when they did meet up they acted like a couple ’kissing and cuddling’.

This was more towards the end of the night and they were in fact together when I exchanged phone numbers with my now current boyfriend

We left the club, (Laura and I) at 0200 hours with Laura urging Simon to get a mobile. Simon then went his way. On either occasion I did not see Simon drinking excessively, in fact I don’t really remember him drinking nor did I see any drugs but I would describe Simon as ’strange’. He often stood about, very quiet. He was subdued half the time, not with it, on another planet. He certainly wasn’t Laura’s type I felt

On Wednesday 19th December 2001 was the last occasion I met Simon.

Laura had booked tickets for the first showing of Lord of the Rings at Festival Leisure Park at Basildon.

We went on a double date. J***** collected me and we met Laura and Simon there. Laura was driving and the pair were late. Simon had apparently had car trouble and so by the time they arrived we had to go straight in.

Laura and Simon were affectionate in the cinema, cuddling and kissing. Simon wore beige jumper and jeans I think.

There was not much chance for conversation as we left immediately afterwards leaving Laura and Simon behind

I have not seen Simon Hall since that day
Excerpts from Laura T’s friend Nicola’s police witness statement dated 27th August 2002

Simon Hall didn’t purchase a mobile phone until Saturday the 15th December 2001.

According to his Proof of evidence statement he went on to state;

I know now I did not go into work on that Saturday because I was in Ipswich buying a mobile telephone

I had been planning to get this particular mobile telephone since seeing a similar telephone in a shop in Colchester town centre the previous Friday the 14th December

According to my receipt for the purchase of the mobile telephone, I completed this purchase at 16.39

After buying the mobile telephone I went to the Old Rep Public House. I believed this would have been mid to late afternoon
Excerpts from pages 2 & 3 of Simon Hall’s proof of evidence statement

The top Nicola mentioned laughing at, which she described was black with red splashes over it and apparently was a bit larey or loud was what Simon Hall eventually described he wore on the night of Saturday the 15th and the morning of Sunday the 16th of December 2001.

22nd December 2001: Killer Purchased Replacement Black Office Shoes & Coat

Donna (Not her real name) told police;

In August 2001 I was in Liquid Night Club in Ipswich. I was with my friends a large group as we had finished our A levels that Summer

I was driving, so I was sober. I saw Simon Hall and I walked up to him and introduced myself. Simon was wearing a short sleeve white shirt and beige trousers. I thought he was attractive, that’s why I approached him

Simon introduced himself but I did not hear his name but I did hear his say ”my friends calls me Teddy”. I gave him my home phone number and went home, after kissing him goodbye

Simon or Teddy as I knew him then, phoned a few days later, but we never met and I did not hear or see him again so I thought that was the end of that relationship

Then on Saturday the 8th December 2001 I went out on my Christmas works party at the Old Rep public house, Tower Street, Ipswich. I was working for ***** clothes shop on ****** Street, Ipswich at the time

I was sitting with my friend, when I noticed Simon working behind the bar.

He was wearing a black jumper with a blue number on the front. I believe the number was forty something. As he was standing behind the bar, I could not see what he was wearing on the bottom half. He had grown a bit of a goatee

I approached him and asked him if he remembered me, he did remember, and I told him where I worked. I also informed him the Christmas party was going on to Pals night club and did he want to meet later, he told me he would be going to Liquids instead

Then on Thursday 13th of December 2001, I called into the Old Rep to see if Simon was working, he was and we arranged to meet for lunch on the Saturday the 15th of December 2001.

Yet on Saturday the 15th of December 2001, Simon never turned up for lunch, he did call in to the shop later that day about 3pm to 4pm. He explained he had been sorting out a car in Felixstowe, and he was wearing a black leather jacket, blazer style, and a roll neck jumper pale in colour beige/cream. I do not remember if he was carrying anything or not

We arranged to meet for lunch another day. I am not sure what day this was but I remember it happened, Simon arrived for my lunch which was at 1pm. He was wearing a pale shirt, either striped or checked and dark navy jeans, and shoes either dark brown or black loafer type. Simon mainly wore smart shoes. He was carrying his mobile and wallet yet no coat which I thought strange as it was cold in December. We went to the Hogs Head in Lloyds avenue, Ipswich and had lunch. We spoke a lot, Simon seemed to remember a lot of our conversation in August which impressed me. He explained that his name was Simon and that people call him Teddy as he was cute and cuddly. The food arrived late so I ate and ran back to work

Then on Saturday the 22nd of December I went shopping with Simon, Simon collected me. He drove a white fiesta size car but I am unsure of the make and model.

I know it was the 22nd of December as I was going out with my friends for a Christmas meal in Clowns in Colchester. We first went to Braintree Freeport, then on to Clacton Common.

Simon was wearing blue jeans, smart shoes brown in colour, navy blue T-shirt, Lambretta design logo across the front of the T-shirt. Also a mushroom coloured fleece the chunky bobbly style rather than the smooth style

While at Braintree Simon bought new black shoes smart ones, a coats, jacket length colour dark charcol, and cosmetics for his Nan for Christmas. Then at Clacton Common Simon bought a Winnie the Pooh for his nephew of god daughter

Then Simon dropped me back at home so I could have a shower before going out with my friends

I met my friends in Greenlands Bar in St John Street, Colchester. I met Simon at this bar about 8pm to 9pm, my friends went on to O’Neills public house, Head Street, Colchester. I stayed in Greenlands for a little while then Simon dropped me off in O’Neills. He was driving the white Fiesta size car again. I believe he said it was a works car. On that evening Simon was wearing his new coat, the pale shirt he wore when we went out to lunch with the checks or stripes and I am not sure what shoes either the brown lofa style or the new black shoes. Simon did not come to O’Neills because he said he was going to a party in Cambridge

Then on Monday the 24th of December 2001 Simon turned up at the shop and we went out to lunch. This time he drove the white vehicle again and took me to a pub not far from the town centre we parked into the car park of the pub and walked in the door connected to the car park

This was a traditional sort of public house, the rooms were quite small. I remember the man who ran the pub, Simon knew very well. I would describe him as a bald male, white skin, who wore glasses and his manner was really camp. We ate at this pub then Simon dropped me back to work promising to meet me after work and before he had to start work

Simon never arrived to meet me so I phoned him he explained he was late as he was in Chelmsford with friends and will be late for work in the Old Rep if he met me. I asked him if he was going to liquids after work as I was going with a few of my friends, Simon stated he did not know if he was going to Liquids or Kartouche

I went to Liquids with my friends and Simon did turn up very late. He seemed really distant and did not look happy. I asked him what was wrong, he replied there are a lot of my ex girlfriends here tonight. I have hurt a lot of people but I am fun to be with. Simon’s mood never changed all night so before I left I told Simon as I was leaving not to add me to that list of people that he hurt

I received a phone call from Simon and a few text messages on Christmas and Boxing day. Then he explained he would be working a lot over the next two months so he would not be available. I received a few more text messages but did not see him again
Excerpts from Donna’s (Not her real name) police witness statement dated 9th October 2002

The shoes and jacket Simon Hall bought while he was in Braintree Freeport with Donna, were obviously to replace the shoes and jacket he had worn when he committed his murder of Joan Albert’s..

The ‘traditional sort of pub’ described by Donna was the Woolpack public house and the ’bald male’ was Scott Doughty, mentioned in Part 2.

Laura T was a woman Simon Hall had first met around the middle to end of October 2001, around the same time Stephanie Bon had told police her and Simon Hall had “become an item”.

Stephanie Bon told police;

Around October 2001, Simon and I became an item.

He used to stay at my house in Colchester, regularly, as it was so much more convenient for work.

Over time he left various items at my house, so he (sic) changes of clothes and wash things.

I would describe our relationship as generally good, we did argue occasionally, but nothing significant. Simon was a kind and funny person and hated arguing
Excerpt from Stephanie Bon’s 4th September 2002 police witness statement

Stephanie Bon made no mention of Simon Hall’s black ‘loud or Lary’ top with the ‘red in it’ to police although it is not known if Stephanie Bon ever saw Simon wearing this top.

And it is unlikely Stephanie Bon would have been honest about this if she were asked.

Stephanie Bon did not made any public statements about all the items of clothing she knew Simon Hall to wear when they were ‘an item’.

Laura T told police;

At some stage around the middle or towards the end of October 2001, I together with a friend T**** went to Kings Night Club in Copford, Essex, I believe it was either a Friday or Saturday night. About half way through the night, both myself and T**** noticed a nice bloke, T**** went up to him and sat him down next to where I was sitting. We started talking and I found out his name was Simon and he came from Ipswich. Simon was there that night with a mate of his who was French

During the night we talked and had a dance, I found Simon to be a nice lad, but very shy towards me. That night, I had my camera with me and between T**** and I, we took photographs of our night out. I can recall, Simon wore a white roll neck jumper, and dark trousers or jeans which may have been dark grey. He also wore shoes that might have been light in colour. Although he was shy, we got on well eland exchanged telephone numbers

Towards the end of the night Simon told me he was going away with his work for 2-3 weeks and he would call me upon his return. We had a goodnight kiss and T**** and I left around 1.00 -2.00 am

At some stage in the next few weeks, I believe T**** on my behalf telephoned Simon’s home address to see if he was there. T**** spoke to a women whom she believed was Simon’s mum. She said he was away for a few weeks

After around 3 weeks after we had met and indeed the first time we had spoken since we first met, Simon called me and he arranged to come over to my home in Chelmsford and take me out. He came over at some stage in the week and took me out, I believe he either drove an old Audi or a gold. I cannot recall the colour. On this occasion we went to a local pub and finished at a beefeater pub where we just talked. Again Simon appeared very shy towards me

At some stage towards the end of November 2001, I had arranged with Simon to meet him at Liquid night club in Ipswich. It was either a Friday or Saturday night. On this occasion, I drove to Ipswich with a friend Nicola ******. When we got there I met Simon and he was with a friend, I cannot recall his name, he was nice but didn’t say much. We both got on alright again (me + Simon) but he was still very shy towards me. I had already formed the opinion he wasn’t my type of bloke. He seemed reluctant to touch me or kiss me and seemed to do anything I asked, by that I mean he was the right kind of looks and personality, but I was more used to a more lively bloke. At the end of the night Nicola and I left and come (sic) home to Chelmsford

Around this time I recall Simon giving me his e-mail address which was **** During this time we used to text each other and also e-mail, my e-mail account is ****

The following weekend, Nicola and I went back to Liquid. I believe this may have been the first weekend in December. On this occasion Simon, I believe had, had a few drinks and was a lot more lively and tactile. Due to this we got (sic) better. I think on this occasion Nicola got introduced to a bloke called Justin

The following week which may have been the 2nd weekend in December, Nicola and I again went back to Liquid. I can recall again meeting Simon who seemed again as he had previously been, very shy towards me . I also recall Nicola getting the hump as Justin was their (sic) with his girlfriend.

On this occasion I also met one of Simon’s friend (sic), I cannot recall his name, whoever, he was (sic) profoundly deaf but could lip read very well. I remember a conversation in which the deaf friend of Simon’s told me Simon thought a lot of me

After this time it reaffirmed to me, our relationship wasn’t going anywhere. He was a very nice bloke, but we just didn’t talk enough. I may have sent him a text later that week saying I wanted more of my own space to do my own thing. I believe he replied words to the effect that was ok

The following weekend, which may have been Saturday 15th December, Nicola and I had arranged to go to Liquid. I had been in touch with Simon that week either by e-mail or text. The reason for going that week, was part as Liquid was a good club, part to see Simon and part so as Nicola could see Justin. For whatever reason Nicola and I didn’t go to Liquid that night. I do recall I believe texting Simon to tell him that and I may have had some texts back from him

At some stage between then and Christmas Simon texted or e-mailed me, saying he would pop around with a Christmas present. I believe couple (sic) days before Christmas he turned up with a Jay-Z CD, he stayed about 15 minutes and then left. That was the last time I ever saw him

In the following months from Christmas we kept in touch again via texting + e-mail he sent me his new e-mail address which was **** I do recall around June time his e-mailing me

He still stated he missed me, which I thought was a little strange due to the time we had been apart

To sum up, I found him a really nice bloke, certainly good looking but a bit to (sic) quiet and shy for me. He was never nasty towards me and never appeared to drink to (sic) much
Excerpt from Laura T’s police witness statement dated 1st August 2002

Laura T made a further witness statement in September 2001;

Further to my previous statement I wish to add that in the early to mid November 2001, when I first met Simon Hall in ‘Kings’ Nightclub in Copford, Colchester I took some photographs of the night

The photographs included: Simon Hall who was wearing dark coloured pin striped trousers and a beige woollen roll neck jumper; a friend of Simon’s whose name I do not know, although I remember he was French, and he was wearing black collared T-shirt and black trousers. My friend T**** who wore black trousers and a black and white top and also myself and I was wearing a black cropped halterneck top and black trouser

At 1110 hours on Tuesday the 10th of September I handed these ’six photographs’ to Pc 997 Wells
Excerpts from Laura T’s police witness statement dated 10th September 2002

The French man referred to by Laura T was Stephanie Bon’s brother Olivier Bon, who told police;

I live at the address given overleaf in Colchester with my sister Stephanie, I have been living there since I moved from my home in France

I previously worked for a company called State Chemicals in Eastgate, Colchester where Stephanie was also employed. I started at State Chemicals in September of 2001 in the credit control department.

It was while working at State Chemicals that I met Simon Hall. I believe he started working there after me and was employed in the financial department

I became quite good friends with Simon we used to talk a lot at work and on at least two occasions we went out for drinks after work. I remember on one of these occasions we went to the Playhouse pub and then went onto Kings nightclub

Simon also became good friends with my sister Stephanie through work, and they eventually started a relationship so Simon came to our home address quite a lot and stayed overnight

I would describe Simon as a friendly confident person who is good looking, I don’t recall seeing him lose his temper

With regards to Simons car I remember he had a VW Golf in fact I have been a passenger in it. He also had an Audi which I recall seeing parked outside our address.

Simon also borrowed a white Citreon Saxo which belonged to State Chemicals, in fact Simon and I borrowed it when we took Stephanie to the airport when she flew to America. I don’t believe I ever went in the Audi as a passenger or drove it

I would describe Simon as a smart dresser, he took care in what he wore. I cannot recall any one particular item that he used to wear. I have never lent Simon any of my clothes and I have never borrowed any of his, and with regards to my clothes I do not own many pairs of trousers and I only have one black pair which I purchased two months ago as I did not have them when Simon was around

My employment with State Chemicals ended in February of this year, I stayed on longer that some people, we were originally told the company was closing in January but I was asked to stay on till the end which was in February, I believe Simon also stayed on until February as well
Excerpts from Olivier Bon’s police witness statement dated 4th September 2002

Simon Hall told police on the 25th July 2002, as is evidenced by the record of interview (Pages 6 – 8) relating to his 5th interview of the day, that he had borrowed clothes to wear off of Olivier Bon.

It is not known if Olivier Bon told his sister Stephanie Bon about Simon meeting Laura T at Kings Night Club in Copford, Essex in mid to end of October 2001, when Simon was in a relationship with his sister.

Link to Part 6 here

Killer Simon Hall: Countdown to His Murder – Part 4©️

Detective Chief Inspector Dave Cole said of the murder of Joan Albert;

A degree of violence has been used and there are signs of a forced entry.

It is a horrific attack and one which is out of nature for a place like Capel

Friends called round to visit her on Sunday morning and couldn’t raise her so they went to a neighbour who had keys and discovered her body.

I would remind all residents to exercise all the usual safety measures like locking doors and windows and if they see anything suspicious to call the police

I am keeping an open mind as to specifically what happened
DCI Dave Cole
https://www.standard.co.uk/hp/front/murder-mystery-of-rich-widow-6298913.html

After around eleven and a half years of protesting his innocence, Simon Hall’s concoctions and lies, and the concoctions and lies of those closest to him at the time of his murder, were finally exposed towards the end of 2012 and into 2013.

Although it would be several more months before Simon Hall finally said out loud, to his then wife and tertiary victim, and others, ‘I killed Joan Albert’.

Suffolk police would have undoubtedly sussed out that Simon Hall and the Hall family members were lying early on into their investigation, as some of their evidence demonstrates throughout this blog series.

Simon Hall disclosed in horrifying detail how he had apparently planned his murder and also claimed he was going to Joan Albert’s house to “rape” her and/or “have sex with her body”;

He stated that he was in a bad place at the time and that he didn’t realise that he had been capable of such violence and that his offence was brutal.

He indicated that his offence took place over a 15 minute period
Excerpt from page 14 of Simon Hall’s December 2013 Sentence planning and review report

When exactly Simon Hall made the decision is not known but what is known is there was a great deal of friction going on in the possible days and hours leading up to his murder between Simon Hall, Simon’s girlfriend at the time, his adoptive parents Phil and Lynne Hall, his brother Shaun Hall and Shaun’s girlfriend Leigh.

Living Regularly With Girlfriend In Colchester, Essex

Simon Hall was in a relationship and living “regularly” with a woman named Stephanie Bon from Colchester, Essex at the time he committed his murder.

Simon only seemingly slept at his adoptive parents house for a couple of hours in the early morning hours of Sunday the 16th December 2001, after it appears there had been an argument with Stephanie Bon, and seemingly Lynne Hall.

It is not known when exactly over that weekend Simon Hall told his girlfriend Stephanie Bon she was not able to attend the Hall family Christmas meal in Lincolnshire on the Sunday.

Nor is it known when Lynne Hall told her adoptive son his girlfriend could not attend the meal, but Stephanie Bon told Suffolk police;

On Saturday the 15th of December 2001 I remember being at home in Colchester with my brother and old flat mate, Lionel *****, who lived at the house for a year.

We remained in all night and I clearly remember this time, as I was meant to be going to a family meal the following day.

On the Sunday Simon was off for a meal with relatives and asked me to go along as well.

I instantly agreed, looking forward to meeting the rest of the family but, unfortunately Simon did not get around to asking his mum until it was too late.

By the time Simon asked Lynne, there was not enough room at the table and I was unable to go along

This had annoyed me and I remember questioning whether the relationship was worth continuing with.

I believe Simon said he was going out with some friends on the Saturday night, although I am not sure
Excerpts from Stephanie Bon’s police witness statement dated 4th September 2002

There Was Enough Room In The Car & At The Table For Family Christmas Meal In Lincolnshire

However there would have been “enough room at the table”, at least two spare seats, as Shaun Hall and his girlfriend Leigh had pulled out at the last minute.

Shaun Hall and his girlfriend Leigh had an argument over their 10 month old son not being well enough to travel, after he had just come out of hospital.

Lynne and Shaun Hall were apparently upset with Leigh because the family up in Lincolnshire had yet to meet Leigh and Shaun’s son X.

It is not known where Simon Hall slept on the night of Friday the 14th December 2001 but he had been staying/living at his girlfriends Stephanie Bon’s house in Colchester.

In fact Simon had taken Stephanie Bon with him to look at, and pay for a new car on Wednesday the 12th of December 2001, as he evidenced by his proof of evidence statement;

On Saturday 15th December 2001 I believe I got up around 8.30am – 9.00am

This was because Matt W****** was due to come round and pick me up in his Ford Granada, registration I believe E****** to drive me to Haverhill to collect a black Audi motor vehicle which I had been to view with Stephanie the previous Wednesday the 12th December at a garage known as Haverhill Kar Khange.

Having seen the car on that day I agreed to purchase it and collect it the following Saturday the 15th. I could not have collected it on the Wednesday as Stephanie does not drive and whoever took me over to pick up the car needed to be able to drive themselves back
Excerpts from pages 1 & 2 of Simon Hall’s proof of evidence statement

Matt (Matthew) W, who stated he had “been best mates for years” with Simon Hall, confirmed he had picked Simon up on the morning of Saturday the 15th December 2001.

But Matt did not mention where he picked Simon up from ie; Simon’s parents house in Capel St Mary or his girlfriend Stephanie Bon’s house in Colchester.

Lynne Hall told police two days after Joan Albert’s murder, referring to the Friday evening of the 14th December 2001;

The last time I actually saw Joan was on Friday evening, the fourteenth of December.

I waved to her at about 8.10am as I went to work to catch the bus.

I always used to check that she was up and Rusty was in the window.

I came home after work. I got the 5.40, number 93 bus, from the Buttermarket in Ipswich. That usually gets me into the village at between 6.15 and 6.20pm.

I was already carrying shopping. My own and some that I had done for her. I also had Phil’s Christmas present. It was a device that turned a bath into a spa bath.

I got off the bus and went into the Co-op and got a few items. I then went straight to Joan’s.

I was feeling ill just starting to come down with a bug. I popped in intending to be quick, it was not usual for me to go in if I did not take Rusty out because he would get so excited.

We talked about the Christmas lights that she had bought me from the Co-op because some of them were not working.

Joan asked me to give Rusty her (sic) pill and also put cream on Rusty’s backside as he had a skin problem. I told her that I was feeling really ill and that I was likely to stay at home the following day.

We spoke in the hallway and Joan suggested I kept Phil’s Christmas present which was Boots purchase, although I don’t remember the make or model. Joan took it straight upstairs and I assumed she was putting it in her room. She had already put her shopping away.

I think as far as I can remember I bought her a pack of 3 gas canisters for her curling tong, I think they were ’Braun’. I also got a small tin of food for Rusty which I fed to him there and then. It was ’Caesar’ I think. I stayed there longer than I was meant to because I was ill. I would say I stayed there 20 minutes or so.

Phil was at home with a colleague and he left just after 6.50pm and I had not even taken my coat off. That was the last time I actually saw Joan.

I remember that she looked very smart in a jumper with a cardigan over the top and a skirt although I don’t remember exactly what. Before I left I said if the worse came to the worse I would see her on the Monday when I would collect Phil’s present.

We also spoke about the washing machine which had been fitted that day. Joan seemed very pleased with the actual machine which I believe was an Indesit. She was not pleased with the carpet though because it was not that clean and bright in her opinion.

Joan actually phoned me not long after I got home, it takes me maybe 5 minutes to get back. All she actually wanted to know was if I Simon (sic), our son, had checked the lights. She rang on our home phone number.

That phone call was the last contact that I had with Joan as I was in bed all day Saturday.

On the Sunday the 16th we were away for the day and I did not find out that Joan was dead until our return, around 8.30pm
Excerpt’s from Lynne Hall’s police witness statement dated Tuesday the 18th December 2001

Although Lynne Hall mentioned her adoptive son Simon to police in her statement, it is not clear if Simon was actually at 8 Snowcroft, Capel St Mary (His adoptive parents address) that evening or whether or not he slept at Stephanie Bon’s house in Colchester, Essex that night.

Lynne Hall also told police on the day Simon was arrested in connection with her friends death;

On Saturday the 15th of December 2001 I was ill in bed all day.

I seem to think that Simon was around during the day and he put his head in to make sure I was okay. I may have popped down to make a drink. I don’t even remember the phone ringing.

The Sunday we were off to Stoke Rochford in Lincolnshire which is a stately home, it was a family get together.

Simon told me at some stage that Saturday that he was going out and would probably not be back that night. I told him to be back because we were leaving early.

I wanted him home at five or six am as I wanted to make sure he was okay and dressed properly.

I can only assume he took his black Audi because that is the only way he could have been back at that time
Excerpt’s from Lynne Hall’s 25th July 2002 police witness statement

But according to all the witnesses who confirmed seeing Simon Hall on that Saturday and spending time with him, and according to Simon himself via his proof of evidence statement, he only went to his adoptive parents Lynne and Phil Hall’s house for a short time between approximately 6:00pm-7:00pm on Saturday the 15th December 2001.

After collecting his recently paid for Audi motor vehicle, Simon Hall stated;

The Ford Granada Matt was driving at the time I believe belongs to Ian *****

Our drive to Haverhill would have taken about 2 hours. Once the purchase had been completed we would have then driven back. On reflection I can even recall Matt ****** having a go at driving the Audi on the journey back

Having acquired the Audi, I then completed the sale of my Golf GTI to Glenn **** on that same day outside a pub in Stutton. I can’t remember the name of the pub but it is Glenn’s local pub. He had already given me a cash payment for the Golf GTI which I in turn had used to purchase the Audi

From that point, I would have carried on into Ipswich to do some Christmas shopping and to buy a mobile phone
Excerpts from Simon Hall’s proof of evidence statement

The mobile phone was paid for at 16:39pm, as was evidenced by his sales receipt;

Impression Management Regarding Living Arrangements At Time

Simon Hall also stated;

The next specific recollection I have is based upon my withdrawal of £50.00 cash from a cash point machine at Tesco’s at Copdock at 5.59pm, the time recorded on the bank statement records.

I would have been heading back to my home at 8 Snowcroft at this time

Again, I cannot precisely recall but I am sure I would have been home for tea and this is usually pizza and chips

Mum was ill in bed and dad would have been doing the cooking
Excerpts from page 3 of Simon Hall’s proof of evidence statement

It appeared Simon, Phil and Lynne Hall wanted to give the police the impression 8, Snowcroft, Capel St Mary was his home around the time of the murder.

But in reality, according to the evidence he barely appeared to stay there at all and also gave the impression he did not like being there.

With regards timings, it would have taken Simon Hall approximately 8 minutes to drive from Tesco’s to his parents address at 8 Snowcroft, Capel St Mary, give or take a minute or two depending on traffic, as can be seen by the below image;

Simon Hall’s next cash withdrawal of £40.00 was made at 7.27pm, which would have meant Simon could only have spent just over an hour maximum at Lynne and Phil Hall’s home address at 8, Snowcroft, between approximately 6.07pm and 7.19pm

Therefore Lynne Hall’s statement

I seem to think that Simon was around during the day and he put his head in to make sure I was okay

was a lie.

The only time Lynne could have seen Simon was between the time previously mentioned because Simon was not in Capel St Mary at any other time that day.

Plus when Simon Hall gave his first statement on the 7th March 2002 he stated he had left 8, Snowcroft at 6.30pm (See Part 2) and when he was asked by the police what time he had left following his arrest, he gave the time of half six, seven as is evidenced in his 1st record of interview (page 18).

On the day of his youngest adoptive son’s arrest, Phil Hall told police;

On the 15th December 2001 my wife was upstairs unwell in bed, I don’t know when Simon left the house or even if I saw him at all that day.

I do not know what he was wearing that day at all.

I recall that Lynne had asked Simon to make sure he was back in time to leave for Stoke Rochford in Lincolnshire where we had a family do, I think we left about 8.30 am on the Sunday.

I went to bed quite late and apart from the phone call off of Mrs Albert at about 9.15cpm I don’t recall any other phone calls being received and I don’t recall making any.

I don’t recall what time Simon got home as I was still in bed, he was ready to leave when we left for Lincolnshire.

I don’t recall what he was wearing that day but photographs were taken that day.

As far as I remember Simon was fairly quiet that morning but I think that was tiredness and he slept in the car. I am willing to assist police in this matter
Excerpt from Phil Hall’s police witness statement dated 25th July 2002

Phil Hall & His Strict Routine Of Pizza & Chips On Saturday’s & The “Unusual Atmosphere”

Phil Hall appeared to play dumb to police about events of Saturday the 15th December 2001, and made no mention of food or doing any cooking for himself, or his adoptive son.

Phil Hall also made no mention of his strict routine of customary pizza and chips which Simon had told police about during his 1st interview on 26th July 2002 following his arrest.

And given the fact Lynne Hall was said to be in bed all day, Phil Hall would have had to prepare his own food that day..

The day after Phil Hall had given his 2nd police witness statement, Simon Hall was asked about what time he got ready to go out on the night of Saturday the 15th December 2001, as can be seen by excerpts of his 1st record of interview for that day (from pages 1);

Dc 1023 Okay. Still keeping with the afternoon, what time did you get ready to go out for
SJH For the night?
Dc 1023 For the evening
SJH I’d start to get ready about six
Dc 1023 Okay
SJH We’d have our customary pizza and chips I think, don’t know
Dc 1023 Okay. Is that your Saturday afternoon?
SJH Saturday after… Saturday was always pizza and chips

And excerpts from page 15;

Dc 1023 Just a couple of things Simon. I remember in the first interview you said that when you got ready to go out we asked you, I think, you know, are you or when were you going out, and you said as soon as possible
SJH Hmm
Dc 1023 What did you mean by that?
SJH Being at home is all well and good
Dc 1023 Right
SJH Erm but. It’s a very unusual atmosphere
Dc 1023 Right
SJH In my Mum and Dad’s home. My Dad’s got his strict routine of his pizza and chips and then he’ll go for a drink with his next door neighbour

Not only did Phil Hall omit to mention his strict Saturday routine of pizza and chips, he also omitted to tell police his strict Saturday routine of going for a drink with his next door neighbour.

Black Mole Skin Type Trousers From Tesco’s

Phil Hall appeared on TV alongside his wife Lynne Hall, in the 2007 BBC’s Rough Justice special.

During the TV show Phil made the false claim the black mole skin type trousers Simon Hall had purchased from Tesco’s, following Simon’s withdrawal of £50 cash at 5.59pm, had never been in his and his wife Lynne’s house at 8 Snowcroft.

But in reality the black mole skin type trousers were taken into 8 Snowcroft, Capel St Mary twice.

The first time was after Simon Hall had purchased the trousers and changed into them, ready to go out for the evening.

The second time would have been when he went back in the same clothes at 6.28am on Sunday the 16th December 2001, after having committed his murder.

Simon Hall admitted. in 2013 he had purchased black mole skin type trousers after his first cash withdrawal on Saturday the 15th December 2001 and changed into them at his parents house. He said it was ‘a fluke’ he had apparently not been picked up on CCTV entering or leaving the Tesco’s store.

It is not known if Simon had originally purchased the black mole skin type trousers to wear for the Christmas family meal in Lincolnshire, but he also disclosed he had been wearing a shirt with ‘red in it’, along with a pair of black office shoes and a black leather jacket before leaving 8 Snowcroft.

Link to Part 5 here

Killer Simon Hall: Adoption – Part 3 ©️

Simon Hall, who was 24 years old at the time of his arrest, was the adopted youngest son of George and Rosemary Hall. George and Rosemary preferred to be called Philip, or Phil for short, and Lynne.

Phil and Lynne Hall started fostering Simon Walton, and his older biological brother Shaun, on the 2nd June 1980, when Simon was three months shy of his 3rd birthday. Although Lynne Hall had indicated to Suffolk police, Simon was around 7 months old when her and her husband had started fostering him.

Simon Walton was on the ’At Risk’ register before he was born on the 14th September 1977.

Simon had had several care givers up until the point he was finally fostered by Phil and Lynne Hall, including by family members of his biological father and short spells back and forth in the local children’s care home.

The story goes that after fostering another little boy for a few months Phil and Lynne Hall were allegedly told by social services the little boy had to be returned.

After returning the little boy to the care of the authorities, Phil and Lynne Hall apparently decided to stop off on their way home for a visit at the local children’s home.

It was here where Lynne and Phil Hall apparently ‘first laid eyes’ on Shaun and Simon Walton, who Lynne Hall said were “sharing a cot” at the time.

On the day her youngest adoptive son Simon Hall was arrested for Joan Albert’s murder, Lynne Hall told police;

… we went on a prospective Foster Parents Course with a view to adoption.

We subsequently went on their list and subsequently we became foster parents to a young boy called X, in total we had him for around five months, he had his second birthday while he was with us.

X had to go back because their (sic) were problems with his natural mother and in fact the rest of the family.

I don’t recall his surname but he was from Holbeach in Lincolnshire.

On the day that we returned X we went to a childrens home in Skegness where we met Shaun and Simon for the first time.

I think Shaun was just over two at that time and Simon is 13 months younger. The boys were very close to each other, Shaun who had been pushed from home to home was both aggressive and protective towards Simon.

Simon being the youngest was much more cuddly. We got on so well with the boys in fact there was an immediate rapport and we became their foster parents within three weeks as oppose to the normal six weeks

We were informed regarding the boys family background.

Their mother was Bernadette and their father was called John, the relationship was volatile and very on off
Excerpts from Lynne Hall’s 25th July 2002 police witness statement

Simon Hall’s biological fathers name was David not ’John’, as Lynne Hall had wrongly told police.

The following is what Phil Hall told Suffolk police about the adoption;

Lynne and I adopted the two boys when they were very young.

The adoption procedure took an extended amount of time due to the fact we moved from Lincolnshire to Capel, as well as the boys on-going family situation and a poor performance from the respective Social Services
Excerpt from Phil Hall’s police witness statement dated 25th July 2002

The Walton/Hall family moved down from Lincolnshire to the village of Capel St Mary in Suffolk in late February 1981.

Simon Walton-Hall apparently did not become known as Simon Hall until around the age of eight years old, when Phil and Lynne Hall finally adopted him.

Further excerpts from Lynne Hall’s police witness statement read;

Prior to Simon’s birth Shaun was taken to hospital because of ill treatment. There were abortive attempts to get the family back together but the boys were left alone in the house, after that the children were taken into care and there was an order issued against the parents.

I think the family name was Walton as initially they were called Shaun and Simon Walton-Hall

In the time between Shaun and Simon going to Primary School I spent a lot of time with them both and then when Shaun went to school by himself I spent a lot of time with Simon.

Although I love both boys equally I think Shaun is the harder to get to know. The boys have been through a lot of stages with each other and in their relationship with Phil and I.

When they were small I never kept the adoption secret from the boys, I was open and honest and kept a photographic collage and also kept a written record.

When they were too small to ask I would raise the adoption and show them the photographs, as they got older they would ask about it and they were able to look at the photos whenever they wished, gradually they stopped asking and the collage sort of faded into the background

The adoption procedure actually took five years instead of the normal two – three years, the reason was that we moved and actually the two Social Services departments in either County did not deal with the procedure very well.

In fact the matter was eventually resolved by a Social Worker who worked at Hadleigh, a man in his forties called Ted. In fact the boys got on very well with Ted and called him Teddy, recently I tried to contact him as I wanted to talk to him about Simon but he had left

While the boys were at schools we had no real problems with them.

There was only one time I can remember the adoption being an issue. Shaun and Simon were about 11 and 12 and there was a programme about adoption, I think it was Home and Away.
Excerpts from Lynne Hall’s police witness statement dated 25th July 2002

Real History Of Adoption Not Known Until 2010

The real history of Simon Hall’s biological family history would not be fully known until Simon received his adoption records in 2010.

Some excerpts from these records read;

Simon your family history begins before you were born. Your older sibling had suffered harm, and his, and subsequently your, names were placed on the ’At Risk’ register. As a result of this support was put into place in the form of home help, there would be ongoing support three time a day, six days a week to the family on yours and your mothers discharge from hospital after you were born

You and your birth mother were discharged from hospital on the 20th September 1977. At this time the whole family were living in a one bed roomed flat, the pressure of living in a small enclosed area soon over whelmed both Bernadette and David. David had huge feelings of anger in particular when he heard of another family being re-housed before his family. This situation made David suggest that you two children were placed in the care of the local authority as he felt there was a possibility of harm coming to either of you.

The local authority assisted Bernadette and David in securing alternative accommodations, many visits took place, seeing the family in the evenings and at weekends. The housing situation caused both parents great stress, on a separate occasion the police were called to sort out a dispute between Bernadette and the family that lived below you in the flat. The other family were saying that Bernadette could not put you out in the garden area as it was their area. The result of this was the social worker calling upon the landlord to settle the dispute.

The family were offered alternative accommodation but as a new flat had been promised in three weeks time they declined as they felt the two moves in close succession would be too much for the family.

In October 1977 Simon began to have problems with feeding, medication was prescribed, this problem seemed to continue for over a month.
Excerpt from Simon Hall’s adoption records (Obtained in 2010)

The four Walton family members moved house on the 2nd January 1978.

Further excerpts from Simon Hall’s adoption records read;

Arrangements were put into place for the two children (Simon and his brother) to be cared for in the form of babysitting while the family move home. Within the new home both the children would have their own bedrooms, David decorated the house, and all was reported to be going well.

In February 1978 Simon began teething, which seemed to cause the usual distress to all babies

Child protection case conference was held on the 6th March 1978, reports felt the family were doing well, a recommendation that a twin pushchair is obtained for the family

Only a few days after the conference, a referral was made, with concerns to the older child in the family having a mark on his face. David and Bernadette believed that they knew who had made this; they believed it to be David’s mother. The family had fallen out over the weekend and the visit had ended in a threat of Mrs Walton senior saying she would report the family to social service.

David had visited his mother to see if she had reported them, she denied it, David had believed this but Bernadette had not. This had resulted in David returning to his mother (sic) house and a further argument ensued.

The social worker spoke with Mrs Walton senior, they had recently moved near to David and Bernadette. Whilst talking to her, she felt that Mrs Walton is very possessive over David, and David must be struggling with split loyalties between the two women.

David and Bernadette also spoke with the social worker about how difficult it is for David now he is out of work. To fill his time he will often call around to his mothers house on these trips he will often take Shaun. When Shaun is not taken his mother quizzes him about why he has not visited with David.

David and Bernadette feel under pressure having many professionals watching them, they are concerned that another referral will come in soon from a former foster carers of S. (sic)

The family went to visit Bernadette’s father over the Easter break. Bernadette reports a positive visit.

The family were feeling more positive as David was to return to work in May on the railway

During a home visit on the 2nd June 1978 Bernadette asked for both boys to be cared for whilst she went into hospital on the 7th June 1978 for some tests.

Simon and his brother were placed in Burgh Hall between 6th – 10th June 1978

Home visit made to family on the 21st June 1978, no reply.

On the 22nd June reports were received that Bernadette had left home the day previous and David had reported her missing to the police. Social workers visited the home no reply, they visited the railway, and David had not been into work.

Then they spoke with Mrs Walton senior, she had not seen the family over the last day or so, but did report seeing Bernadette a few days ago, not looking well with a black eye. She said that she had felt uneasy about Bernadette’s presentation so sent one of her other children around to the home at 3.30pm.

The child discovered the two children in the home alone, crying the house key was pinned to the door with a message to David’s brother and wife who had been on holiday in the area and visiting daily.

The family had put some arrangements together for the children to say (sic) with different family members, which had happened. The social workers felt that it would be better for the boys to both be placed at Burgh Hall so the whereabouts of the children could be confirmed.

David was visited at his mothers address, he was very worried about the whereabouts of Bernadette, and he reported her to be well on the Tuesday. Bernadette had rung him on the Wednesday at 11am, he then understands that she left the house in a taxi at 11.45am (neighbour had reported).

David explained the black eye as, Bernadette catching her face on an iron plant pot fixed in the front porch.

David said that he had thought about giving up his job to look after the boys, but he didn’t think this was the best arrangement and was in agreement of both boys to be received into care at Burgh Hall. Simon had been living with is uncle and wife at RAF Conningsby.

Simon and his brother admitted to Burgh Hall on 23rd June 1978.

Home visit was made to David on the 23rd June, as he should have visited the office first thing. David had not been out of bed long. He said he had found Bernadette in Leeds, and after a long talk she had returned to Skegness with him. They arrived back to Skegness at 2am.

Bernadette was spoken to alone, she admitted feeling depressed and her stay in hospital had ’tipped the balance’. Bernadette said that on Wednesday she felt she ’just had to get away’; she packed her case and went, hitch hiking it to Leeds.

Bernadette said that she had left the boys in the belief that Dennis and Elaine (Uncle and aunt to children) would visited, (sic) as they had every day so far, so she expected them that day. She said that the boys were safe in bed when she left. She said that she could not take them with her as she could not hitchhike with two small children.

Bernadette did not see the two boys as the cause of her problems; she described them as ’good to look after’. Bernadette confirmed the black as (sic) her hitting her head on the iron plant pot; she also had a graze mark across her nose.

David and Bernadette agree that the best plan for the two boys was for them to be received into care at Burgh Hall.

Bernadette went to the GP and was prescribed tablets for her low mood. She also shared with the worker that accompanied her that her main concerns were around her relationship with David.

She felt that he had an expectation of her to be like his mother, who is very house-proud and his strong feeling about what the women’s role is in a family. Bernadette stated that David is keen to provide a materially good home and save money to fall back on, but she feels it is at the expense of the present.

It appears from the file that communication between David and Bernadette was very poor; she had not shared with David the reason for her stay in hospital.

Simon remains in care, contact happens see separate sheet

13th July 1978 case conference-decisions were that boys to be returned home on the condition that parent (sic) accept support from all agencies involved. Arrangements made for daily support for the family of home help from Monday 17th July 1978.

At the end of August David went into the social care office to report that he would be finishing work on the 6th September and would not need the home help support anymore as he would be at home to support Bernadette.

On the 4th September 1978 the social worker received a telephone call from Mrs Walton Senior. She reported that Bernadette had left the children again in bed on Sunday night and David had travelled down late that evening with his father to Dover in the hope of finding her at her fathers.

David had taken the children with him. Bernadette had not been found so David was planning on hiring a car and travelling to Leeds with the children. Mrs Walton was concerned as David had only just returned from Dover.

A visit was made to David, Simon and his brothers (sic) were outside the house in their pushchair. David said that he was about to set off to Leeds to see if Bernadette was with her mother or brother.

David confirmed that on Sunday night he had visited his mother home (sic) at about 8pm. He had only intended to stay a short time, while he was away, the boys were in bed, Bernadette left the house. He said that he set off on his moped (unsure where boys were) in search for her, he wanted to find her before she got too far.

David and his father then set off in the early hours to Dover with both boys in the car.
David said that he had rowed with Bernadette’s father and this had not helped the situation.

David was advised that it would not be safe to transport the two boys on his own all the way to Leeds, also that the boys would need feeding/changing and needed to rest as they had had a much disrupted night.

David agreed, Simon and his brother were placed with local authority foster carers, as Burgh Hall were on summer holidays, this was seen as a temporary placement

David telephoned social worker on the 5th September to say he had not found Bernadette in Leeds.

Reports state that David was admitted to hospital following an attempted suicide attempt, he had taken an overdose, and put his head in the gas oven.

Mrs Walton senior asked the social worker to call around as she wanted to share her concerns with regards to her son David, and that he would have to accept responsibility for his treatment and attitude towards Bernadette and the children and that was why Bernadette would have left. Mrs Walton said that she had received various reports about David’s treatment of both children; he had been seen strapping the children in the pushchair or highchairs without being allowed to play around

Mrs Walton also reported that months ago her brother had met up with David in town, David was threatening to hit Bernadette, and Mrs Walton believes that Bernadette was pregnant at the time. Mrs Walton said that on reflecting on the situation she felt that Bernadette had acted in the children’s best interest by leaving them because she knew they would have been taken into care away from David.

13th September 1978, David discharged himself from the care of the hospital, he returned home. Mrs Walton senior concerned that David may go looking for Bernadette again, and that she may be in danger.

18th September 1978, letters sent to Bernadette’s fathers, mothers and brothers addresses looking for Bernadette.

David goes into office to talk to social worker; he is not willing to take ant responsibility for Bernadette leaving. He informs the social worker he and his mother are going to visit Leeds in the hope of finding Bernadette.

19th September 1978, David telephoned to say that the police had contacted him advising him not to go to Leeds looking for Bernadette, David agrees to this advice. Mrs Walton was contacted, she confirmed the police visit, but said that the police officer had let it slip that Bernadette was in Dover.

The local authority contacted Dover local authority asking for support in contacting Bernadette at her father’s home Dover.

22nd September 1978, Bernadette had made contact with the probation department in Dover, she said that she was living with her father and working at the bingo hall. Arrangements made for social worker to visit Bernadette before the forthcoming case conference, agreed meeting 26th September

Social worker sets off to Dover to be informed at Boston station that Bernadette had returned to Kent*. (sic) Further investigation finds that David had travelled to Dover the evening before; there had been a lot of talking between David and Bernadette. Bernadette then agreed to return with David and they left Dover about 4 o’clock.

On Bernadette’s return there is a huge amount of falling out between David/Bernadette and his family, this continues with threats etc.

27th September 1978, Bernadette and David visit Simon and his brother, this is the first time they see their mother since 4th September

28th September 1978, case conference – recommendation, David and Bernadette to have as much contact as possible and a decision would be made in a month’s time around the boy’s future

28th Sept – 24th October 1978 – Bernadette and David have ongoing contact, although this is not always consistent with plans in place.

Review of plans – decision for Simon and his brother to return to the care of Bernadette and David’s care on the 11th December, it is felt that the home situation is satisfactory for their return.

Some ongoing concerns of Bernadette’s and David’s attitude towards care workers at Burgh Hall with regards of the children’s care.

1st December 1978 – Simon is now walking

8th December 1978 – visit to David and Bernadette to plan the boys return on the 11th December 1978. David and Bernadette are informed that this will be their last opportunity to care for the boys long-term as the boys could not be received into care every time they met a crisis.

11th December 1978 – Bernadette goes with the social worker to pick up Simon and his brother. Comments made by the lack of emotional warmth from parents towards the children on their return, David said that he would have to take them to ’visit their gran’.

22nd December 1978 – home visit made by social worker, all appears to be going well, the family are looking forward to Christmas

2nd January 1978 – home visit made by social worker, David was clearing snow in the garden. Bernadette was observed as being distant, shutting everyone out, she spent most of the time watching the television. Simon seemed well and happily playing with his toys from Christmas

The family started to disengage with professionals again, concerns re; S not attending playgroup when this had been agreed as part of the plan.

7th March 1979 – Bernadette again left Simon and his brother alone in the house; this took place in the daytime when David was expected home for lunch. Her whereabouts were unknown until 17th April when she was traced to Dover. David was in permanent employment, along with being distressed, not being able to care for the boys, they returned to the care of Burgh hall together.

29th June 1979 – Full care order of Simon and his brother gained through the court at Skegness juvenile court

October 1979 – David and Bernadette informed that contact with Simon will stop as the boys need to settle into a family situation and have the security of a stable environment

26th March 1980 – X born at home – full sibling

2nd June 1980 – Foster placement starts with Mr and Mrs Hall

Foster family along with Simon and his brother move to Capel St Mary late February 1981

July 1984 – X born – full sibling
Excerpts from Simon Hall’s adoption records

*Kent is what the social worker, who put the adoption records together for Simon Hall in 2010 used, but it should read Skegness

Lynne Hall often exaggerated about the timings of when her and her husband had initially first fostered Simon Hall and his older brother, and about when the four of them first moved to Capel St Mary.

For example, within the first two sentences of her first police witness statement, Lynne Hall had stated she had lived at 8, Snowcroft for 2 years longer than she actually had.

We moved to our current address around 22 years ago. When we first moved in I had two young children. We actually moved down from Spalding in Lincolnshire as my husband moved with his job
Excerpt from Lynne Hall’s police witness statement dated 18th December 2001

Almost 3 1/2 By Time He Was Fostered By Lynne & Phil Hall

Simon Hall appeared to be under the impression he was around one years old when he was first fostered by Lynne and Phil Hall.

Extracts from his police interview read (Pages 9 and 10 Record of interview);

Dc 1023 Thank you. What we need to speak to you about now Simon is, as I mentioned earlier, that basically an antecedence made, that means a history of your life if you like to your recollection
SJH OK
Dc 1023 Now, you were born, I understand you were born in Skegness, if I can give you a starter for that
SJH Yes
Dc 1023 And I’ll leave it to you to go ahead as best you can
SJH What from birth?
Dc 1023 If you can recall that far, that’s fine. If you can’t that’s not a problem. To your best recollection
SJH OK. I was born in Skegness, like you said, two parents, my real parents not the parents that I’m with now
Dc 1023 Sure, right
SJH I got taken away from them. Then I was with my now parents from about one year old or whatever
Dc 1023 Right
SJH We lived in Lincolnshire for a little while. Moved to Capel St Mary twenty-three, two, twenty-two, twenty-three years ago

Parish Council Chairman Gerald White

On the 1st March 2003, the day after Simon Hall was found guilty of Joan Albert’s murder, the Evening Star newspaper reported the following, under the header, ‘Village relieved Capel killer is jailed’

A leading Capel St Mary figure and former neighbour of Simon Hall’s family says people feel safer now Joan Albert’s killer is behind bars.

Gerald White, parish council chairman, used to live next door to Hall’s mother, Lynn, in Snowcroft, Capel, and remembers the time when she adopted Simon.

Summing up the mood of the village after the verdict was reached at Norwich Crown Court on Friday, he said:

“I think people are relieved that someone has been convicted but they are obviously quite shocked at the involvement of someone who knew the family

“It is a sad day, but in a way I think people are relieved that someone has been caught for the murder

“If he was found not guilty it would still leave it wide open that someone is still around who committed the crime

But Mr White was anxious that there would be no bad feeling towards Hall’s adopted family.

“Lynn (Simon’s mother) is so well known for the charity work etc she must be absolutely shattered

“I think people in the village are feeling for the family

“We can remember when they first adopted the boys, they were only about two. They (Simon’s parents) were both thrilled to bits when the adoption came through

“It is difficult for all of us

“Not just as it was someone in the village, but someone so closely connected with the family

“I hope there will be no recrimination. People do know Lynn, she is a lovely woman and at one time was the sole collector for the RSPCA in the village. I don’t think there will be any

“Lynn obviously must be very distressed. People are feeling for Joan Albert’s family but at the same time there is also this connection with the two families. It is so sad

“There are no winners” he added.
Evening Star article dated 1st March 2003

Gerald White, a leading figure from Capel St Mary who once lived next door to the Hall’s, must have misremembered (similarly to Lynne Hall) about the ages of Simon Hall and his brother when they were “first adopted”.

Simon was almost 3 and a half years old when he first moved to Capel and wasn’t adopted until a few years later.

Adopted children in the UK can face enduring mental health and behavioural problems. New research found no improvement in children’s mental health four years after they were adopted. The children’s emotional and behavioural problems increased with the number of adverse childhood experiences they had. These adverse childhood experiences include abuse, neglect and unstable living arrangements.

Researchers looked at children’s experiences before they were adopted, such as maltreatment, the number of times they moved home and how long they spent in care. They then looked at data on the children’s psychological health after adoption.

They found that adoption in itself was not linked to an improvement in mental health. The researchers recommend that adoptive parents and social workers should have as much biographical information as possible about a child’s life before and during care.
National Institute for Health and Care Research

Link to ’Quite A Hall Tale’ ©️ Part 4 here

Killer Simon Hall: The Murderer, His Holiday To France & His Multiple Relationships – Part 2©️

15th January 2002: House To House Enquiries

Due to his previous criminal convictions for violence and because he had lived nearby in Snowcroft with his adoptive parents, Simon Hall’s name had been flagged by the HOLMES(2) information technology system used by police for investigations.

As a result Simon Hall 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 (This was also 10 days before Joan Albert’s funeral took place).

During this interview Simon Hall was asked to account for his movements between 9pm on Saturday the 15th December 2001 up 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 some 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

Simon Hall lied to police.

He did not work on the evening of Saturday the 16th December 2001.

And he left his adoptive parents house in Capel St Mary at around 6:30pm wearing a new pair of black mole skin type trousers (which he had purchased not long before at Tesco’s, Copdock), a shirt with red in it, black office type shoes and a black leather jacket.

7th March 2002: Formal Statement

On the 7th March 2002 Suffolk police then asked Simon Hall to make a formal statement, 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

25th July 2002: Simon Hall & Jamie Barker Arrested

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 Shaun Hall and Phoebe Grant were also arrested that morning.

However 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.

Along with an early morning raid at Jamie Barker’s mother Angela Barker’s house, in Myrtle Road, Ipswich.

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.

28th July 2002: Booked Holiday To France

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 Hall 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

Sudbury, Felixstowe & Ipswich Police Stations

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.

Again, it is not known if Shaun Hall, Phoebe Grant and 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

Records Of Interview

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

Multiple Relationships Around Same Time

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 his murder of Joan Albert.

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.

More On The Various Relationships

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 of the telephone numbers of the people he had contact with over the time period when he committed his murder of Joan Albert.

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.

Scott Doughty

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, where Simon Hall had left his car keys behind the bar on the night of the 15th/16th 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, as can be read by tapping on the button below;

Scott Doughty: Ipswich man convicted of sexually assaulting two teenage boys

Immobiliser Gaslighting Incident

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 Part 3 here

This blog was first published on the 21st December 2021 – just over 20 years since Joan Albert was murdered, and just over 20 years since the innocence fraud con of her killer, and his enablers, began.

The blog includes a substantial amount of evidence from the original police investigation; including copies of transcripts to all ‘Records of interview’, excerpts from police witness statements, along with other material from the investigation and trial.

Many readers may find some of the content upsetting as it involves the murder of a vulnerable woman, with graphic and distressing details. There are also references to allegations of sexual abuse, incest, references to violent fantasies (some involving children) as well as references to child neglect and abuse, domestic violence and suicide.

Murder of Joan Albert

On Sunday 16th December 2001 Joan Hilda Albert, who was 79 years of age at the time, was found lying dead on her back in the downstairs hallway of her home in Boydlands, a quiet cul-de-sac situated in the Suffolk village of Capel St Mary in the heart of Constable country in England.

Joan Albert’s body was discovered by her friends and neighbours Mr and Mrs Twoose after they entered her home when she failed to answer their telephone calls.

Joan Albert’s home in Boydlands, Capel St Mary

A police forensic report of a visual examination of 15 Boydlands stated as follow;

..kitchen window at the rear of the premises had had the glass in it smashed with most of the glass being out of the window – some of the glass was outside in the garden and some inside on the window sill and work top.

The window itself was still locked

A door at the far end of the kitchen leads into the hall and laying in the hall across the door opening was the body of an elderly female

She was dressed in a dressing gown and nightdress.

The dressing gown was open revealing blood staining to the nightdress. Her head was against the cloak room door

Some ornaments and a small flower arrangement appeared to have been knocked off a small shelf at the bottom of the stairs

Some flower pots had been knocked off the kitchen window.

A cutlery drawer in the kitchen was open with a kitchen knife sticking out of it and on the kitchen floor lay a kitchen knife.

There appeared to be no other disturbance
Excerpts from scene of crimes officers (SOCO) report

Mr Twoose, a close friend and neighbour of Joan Albert, told the local newspaper;

We were very close to Joan and had been for the last 26 years since we moved here.

We have been devastated by this. How could you expect that sort of thing in a place like Capel?

She was lying at the bottom of the stairs. I never for one second imagined foul play.

Even when I saw the knife next to her body I thought she must have got up in the night to feed her dog Rusty using the knife to cut up his food and then had a heart attack

My eyesight isn’t very good so when I saw a patch of red in the lower part of her stomach I thought it was a pattern on her night dress

I believe it must have soaked into the carpet.

The position of the body was very strange

Her head was against the wall and both her arms were raised above her head in two “C” shapes

At that time I still thought it must have been an accident. She was on warfarin and I thought the fall could have caused the blood

I pulled the kitchen blind up to get some light.

That was when I saw some broken glass by the kitchen window. There were no other signs of a break in

It just doesn’t make sense. Joan was worried about security and she’d just had a 999 phone installed by her bed.

She would never have come downstairs if she had heard the sound of breaking glass. But she might have opened the door to someone she knew
Excerpts from an Evening Star article headed Friend relives finding murdered OAP dated 14th June 2002

Joan Albert had been stabbed to death. Her killer was said to have stabbed her in the “back, chest, stomach and thigh” and had also put the knife in her mouth, as the pathologist Dr Michael Heath would report cuts to her gums, lips and cheek.

The pathologist also concluded the killer had inflicted knife injuries to Joan Albert’s body approximately up to “10-30” minutes after her death.

Joan Albert’s dog called Rusty was apparently heard scratching at the front door when Mr and Mrs Twoose arrived to check up on their friend that morning. Rusty was unharmed but in June 2002 the Evening star reported;

Joan Albert’s beloved dog Rusty, already in poor health when his mistress was murdered, has since died. His ashes were buried with Mrs Albert
Excerpt from an Evening star article headed Murder victim laid to rest dated 25th January 2002

Before leaving Joan Albert’s home, her killer had pulled up her nightclothes, leaving her body to be found naked from the waist down.

Based on this factor of the crime scene the police initially believed Joan Albert’s murder had been sexually motivated.

As part of his closing speech to the jury during Joan Albert’s killers February 2003 murder trial, Graham Parkin for the prosecution stated;

But of course as you know and dealt with this at the appropriate time, DNA only arise in other words you can only test for a profile, which might lead to somebody if the person leaves behind one or more of a number of things.

Body fluids, saliva, semen or blood. You remember in this test one of the, in this case, one of the first searches was made to see if there was any suggestion that this had been sexually motivated in the sense of somebody leaving semen behind. And it wasn’t.

Saliva, semen or blood or a hair a plucked hair such that it still has a live as it were root on the end or indeed a piece of living tissue. Nothing was found of this nature.

So DNA don’t assist do they in this case? One way or the other there’s nothing in that regard to point to Simon Hall.

There’s nothing to exclude him either.

Whether the absence of such material was through care or good fortune or a combination of both perhaps really doesn’t matter and we needn’t consider this sub-topic further.
Excerpts taken from copy of transcript of the prosecutions closing speech given by Graham Parkin QC

Also during a 2007 Trace Evidence Symposium held at the Sheraton Sand Key Resort based in Clearwater Beach, Florida, forensic scientist Ken Wiggins’s gave a PowerPoint slide presentation.

On a slide marked The Scene it read;

Displacement of the nightdress led to the assumption that the motive had been sexual
Ken Wiggins

Trace Evidence Symposium 2007 – Copy of part of powerpoint slide

Joan Albert – Memories

Joan Hilda Albert was born in Rayden, near Hadleigh in Suffolk on the 26th November 1922 and was the second eldest child to Elias and Agnes Tuckwell. The Tuckwells had seven children, three girls and four boys and Joan was the second eldest child.

Joan and her siblings attended Raydon school, near Hadleigh before her and her two sisters went on to become hairdressers.

One of Joan Albert’s brothers, Ken Tuckwell, said of his sister;

Joan served an apprenticeship in Ipswich and worked in Hadleigh until being sent to Chelmsford during the [Second World] war to work in Hoffmans’ ball-bearing factory
Ken Tuckwell via the Evening Star article headed Bring back hanging call by brother dated 18th December 2001

Hoffmans was established in 1898 by cousins Charles and Geoffrey Barrett and named after a Swiss-American man called Ernst Gustav Hoffman who was a ball bearing machine manufacturer. Charles and Geoffrey had had productions issues and had sought out Mr Hoffman for assistance.

Hoffmans says of the time Joan was sent to work for them;

During World War II The Hoffman Bearings factory was attacked from the air on several occasions, both by aircraft of the Luftwaffe and by missile.

This was because the Hoffman Bearing factory was a big part of the war effort, supplying bearings for countless applications. This obviously made it a key target

The worst single loss of life took place on Tuesday 19 December 1944, when a V2 rocket fell on Henry Road near the Hoffman factory.

Thirty-nine people were killed and 138 injured, 47 seriously. Several dwellings in Henry Road were completely destroyed, and many in nearby streets were badly damaged
Hoffmans website

In 1945, after Joan and her family had moved to the village of Pettaugh in Suffolk, her and her two sisters rented out a property and set up a hair salon in the village of Debenham, eventually going onto to own their own salon, which was built in Gracechurch street in Debenham.

During a holiday cruise Joan met Cyril Albert, who’s first wife had passed away. Cyril was from Kent and had a hairdressing and dry cleaning business in Sevenoaks.

Joan and Cyril fell in love and married. The couple initially lived in Sevenoaks, Kent, then eventually moved to Capel St Mary in Suffolk and continued to run their businesses.

Joan Albert’s husband Cyril passed away in 1993.

Following Joan’s murder, Sylvia Lambert, who became Joan’s best friend said of her friend and her friend’s late husband Cyril;

They had some wonderful times together. They were always going abroad. We’ve talked and talked about all these things. She lived for Cyril
Sylvia Lambert via the Evening star article headed Best friend’s happy memories of Joan dated 17th December 2001

Joan Albert’s brother Ken Tuckwell also said;

Joan was very particular and always looked very elegant in her dress. Her home was always kept in an immaculate condition

She was devoted to her dog Rusty, who was very ill, and she used to let him out during the night

To die is normal, but to be murdered in her own home is something else

I hope the police catch the person who committed this terrible crime and they should be hanged
Ken Tuckwell via the Evening Star article headed Bring back hanging call by brother dated 18th December 2001

Joan Albert’s funeral took place on the 25th January 2002 at the West Chapel crematorium in Ipswich.

Excerpts from a media article headed Murder victim laid to rest read as follows;

Nearly 40 members of Mrs Albert’s family from East Bergholt to Debenham and Bedingfield to Grundisburgh will attend her funeral.

Mrs Albert’s nephew, Trevor Cousins said he was very grateful for the support shown to his family since his aunt’s murder and that so many would be joined mourning today.

“I think it’s the shock,” he said.

“People want to demonstrate that”
Excerpts by Tina Heath for the Evening star article headed Murder victim laid to rest dated 25th January 2002

One of the people who attended Joan Albert’s funeral was Joan’s killers adoptive mother Lynne Hall.

Tag: Lynne Hall