Witness quizzed on time in toilet

From the Wiltshire Times, first published Friday 27th Jan 2006.

CLARKE MURDER TRIAL: STAFF from Wembley Conference Centre told Bristol Crown Court how accused man Michael Clarke and his friends had spent an unusual amount of time in the toilets on the afternoon of December 6.

Jacqueline Crotty, a receptionist at the centre, and her colleague Paul Sturgess, a foreman, went to check on the four men after they did not return to the foyer for some time.

Mrs Crotty said she had first seen three of the men, Clarke, Jonathan Chamberlain and Jonathan Scott, at lunchtime when they went in to use the toilets.

She said: "One asked to use the gents' toilet and I said yes. They told me they'd just come up for the concert, come up from Melksham in Wiltshire. I commented it was a pretty market town."

The three returned to the centre later in the afternoon, but this time they were joined by Stuart Painter.

Mrs Crotty said: "There were four this time. One was carrying a large holdall or bag. They said we'd like to use the gents toilets'. As I'd recognised them I said they could go through.

"It must have been about 25 minutes later that my colleague said how long they'd been so I looked through the glass doors and could see one leaning up against the counter of the cloakroom.

"I picked up the radio and went across the foyer. As I did so they came out through the doors."

During cross examination, Neil Ford QC, defending, suggested she was mistaken about the time the men had been in the toilets and showed the court two still images taken of the men entering the building at 4.15pm and leaving at 4.28pm.

He said: "Unless something was wrong with the clocks your estimate is a little too long."

Mrs Crotty accepted she might have been mistaken about the length of time.

The prosecution allege Clarke and Painter used their time in the toilets to transfer incriminating evidence, including shoes, clothes and a knife.

Painter, who travelled to London from Canterbury University and did not attend the concert, is said to have concealed the items in a bag and later disposed of them.

Painter denies the charge.

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