Could the Rettendon Two be a potential MoJ.

[sika]

What evidence supports Nicholls testimony?

He claims he was working in Sunbury, W. London on 6th Dec and left early afternoon to drive to Essex via the M25 and M11? 

CCTV footage?

He claims there was tel contact in the middle of the day whilst still in Sunbury between himself and Steele who was at or near Colchester.

Tel Records?  How come the prosecution can offer up detailed info about Sarah Saunders call and calls between Whomes and Nicholls but the above is vague?

He claims he arranged to meet with Steele at Marks Tey at 5pm (which included Whomes too).  The onward journey was to the Halfway House, Brentwood.

Where's the evidence for this?  CCTV footage, receipts for fuel?

Bearing in mind the weather produced severe problems by way of traffic and road conditions on that particular day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOb7ksC-NJ8

And yet nothing in Nicholls testimony about the weather, traffic and road conditions. 

I'll add to the above when I have time but imo it's a crock of shite.

There are extremely detailed telephone logs, including Steeles calls to Nicholls, Whomes and Tate on the day of the murders, including extremely incriminating calls made after the murders.  There are two calls made from Steeles landline to his own mobile at around 8.15pm.  He explained that this was him phoning his own mobile "to make sure it was hooked". 

That is very much the tip of the iceberg as far as Steeles evidence is concerned. 

He had to try and explain a purchase of 4 star fuel on the day in question.  He claimed he was driving a Renault 21.  He says that he went on to sell this vehicle to Whomes in January 1996.  In fact, records proved that he sold the car to Whomes in October 1995, two months before the murders.  His evidence is riddled with inconsistencies/untruths like these. 

[Holly Goodhead]

Who's Billy Jasper?  His account sounds unlikely given the firearms he refers to contradict with the expert evidence.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/882425.stm

Imo the perp was highly trained, acted alone and wasn't known to the trio.  You can see the location is rural with plenty of water about meaning the perp may well have washed, changed his/her clothes and walked for miles across the fields and then took an early morning train slipping in with commuters.

[sika]

Tuesday, 18th November 1997
WILLIAM JASPER, sworn
Examined by MR PARKINS QC:

MR PARKINS:
Please give your full name.

A.
William George Jasper.

Q.
Mr Jasper, is it right that you are here only because the defence in this case obtained a witness summons to bring you here?

A.
Yes.

Q.
Can I just ask you this. Were you seen by the police in
January 1996?

A.
Yes.

Q.
In connection with matters that affected you?

A.
Yeah.

Q.
During the course of the time you were with the police
were you interviewed?

A.
Yes.

Q.
During that same period of time, January 1996, did you
give to the police an oral and indeed a written account
of matters that you said you had been involved with at
Rettendon on the night of 6th December 1995?

A.
Yes.

Q.
Did you give a detailed account?

A.
Yes.

Q.
Did it cover the whole of the evening of 6th December 1995?

A.
Yes.

Q.
Up to what time, please?

A.
It's hard to remember.

MR JUSTICE HIDDEN:
I cannot hear. Up to?

A.
Hard to remember.

MR PARKINS:
Hard to remember, my Lord, was the evidence.

MR JUSTICE HIDDEN:
Hard to remember.

MR PARKINS:
Yes.Where were you in fact on the evening of 6th December 1995?

A.
Hard to remember.

Q.
Hard to remember. Do you know the defendant Michael Steele?

A.
No.

Q.
Have you ever seen him before?

A.
No.

Q.
Or been in any sort of communication with him?

A.
No.

Q.
What about the man sitting in the middle of the three in the front row; do you recognise him?

A.
No.

Q.
Ever seen him before?

A.
No.

Q.
Or been in any sort of communication with him?

A.
No.

Q.
When were you first made aware that you might be required to give evidence in this trial?

A.
Yesterday.

Q.
Was that as a result of you being served with a witness summons?

A.
No, just told.

Q.
You were just told where you were going.The matters that you spoke about to the police and indeed put in writing --

MR JUSTICE HIDDEN:
Is this going to an admissible question,Mr Parkins?

MR PARKINS:
My Lord, I think it is, yes. Do not answer,please. I was simply going to ask that it was inconnection with any particular incident at Rettendon; no more than that, my Lord.

MR JUSTICE HIDDEN:
The evidence from this witness is he was asked about --

MR PARKINS:
Yes. Then I will not ask the question. I do not want to ask a question that is not admissible.Yes. Stay there, Mr Jasper.
Cross-examined by MR LEDERMAN QC:

MR LEDERMAN:
Mr Jasper, so that there is no mystery about this, you were arrested I think on 15th January 1996.

A.
Probably.

Q.
Well, in connection with a matter about which I am not going to ask you at all; do you follow?

A.
(The witness nodded).

Q.
Is it a fact that having been arrested for another matter you indicated that you wished to speak

MR JUSTICE HIDDEN:
Just a moment, Mr Lederman. How is this admissible? This is what a witness is saying to someone else. Members of the jury, would you like to leave please.

(In the absence of the jury)

[sika]

Wednesday, 19th November 1997
WILLIAM JASPER, continued

(In the presence of the jury)

MR JUSTICE HIDDEN:
Mr Jasper, you will now be asked the first question. When it is asked of you it will be up to you to decide what your course is. Put the question, Mr Lederman.

MR LEDERMAN:
Mr Jasper, my first question to you is this. Are you in fear. Are you in fear?

A.
I'm not prepared to answer that.

MR LEDERMAN:
On the 15th.

MR JUSTICE HIDDEN:
He said he is not prepared to answer that. Yes, go on.

MR LEDERMAN:
On 15th January 1996, Mr Jasper, as a fact did you leave the Forest Gate police station at 3.10 pm with police officers?

A.
I'm not prepared to answer that.

Q.
Did you go to the Palms Motel on the A127 at Hainault?

A.
I'm not prepared to answer that.

Q.
Did you point out to police officers an address, Windmill Cars at Corby near Upminster?

A.
I'm not prepared to answer that.

Q.
Did you go to the Rettendon Turnpike?

A.
I'm not prepared to answer.

Q.
Did you go to a village called Battlebridge?

A.
No comment.

Q.
Would you be kind enough to look please in our jury bundle, the white bundle (Handed). At page 3.

MR JUSTICE HIDDEN:
Let the witness be given Exhibit 3.

MR LEDERMAN:
Usher, he has the bundle, my Lord.

MR JUSTICE HIDDEN:
Would you turn to page 3, Mr Jasper? It is a map.

MR LEDERMAN:
Do you have it, Mr Jasper, please? I wonder if the usher could assist.

MR JUSTICE HIDDEN:
It looks like this.

MR LEDERMAN:
Perhaps usher, I wonder if you could help the witness by pointing out Rectory Lane on that plan.

THE USHER OF THE COURT:
Usher, which one is it, my Lord?

MR JUSTICE HIDDEN:
I do not think that is Exhibit 3. It is this one. That is the one, is it?

MR PARKINS:
Yes.

MR JUSTICE HIDDEN:
It is underneath. I could not see from the top sheet (Handed).

MR LEDERMAN:
Do the jury have that sheet?

MR JUSTICE HIDDEN:
Rectory Lane is here. We see there is Woodham Lane and Rectory Lane there.

MR LEDERMAN:
Did you direct the police up that lane but --

MR JUSTICE HIDDEN:
Sorry, the question was did he go to Rectory Lane first. I do not think he answered, Put it again.

MR LEDERMAN:
Did you go with police officers to Rectory Lane?

A.
No comment.

Q.
Sorry?

A.
No comment.

Q.
No comment. Did you point out to the police a gate by a field in Rectory Lane?

A.
No comment.

MR JUSTICE HIDDEN:
I think further matters of law arise at this stage, Mr Lederman.
Members of the jury, I have to ask you to go out again, I am afraid. Would you retire for the moment?

(In the absence of the jury)

[Holly Goodhead]

There are extremely detailed telephone logs, including Steeles calls to Nicholls, Whomes and Tate on the day of the murders, including extremely incriminating calls made after the murders.  There are two calls made from Steeles landline to his own mobile at around 8.15pm.  He explained that this was him phoning his own mobile "to make sure it was hooked". 

That is very much the tip of the iceberg as far as Steeles evidence is concerned. 

He had to try and explain a purchase of 4 star fuel on the day in question.  He claimed he was driving a Renault 21.  He says that he went on to sell this vehicle to Whomes in January 1996.  In fact, records proved that he sold the car to Whomes in October 1995, two months before the murders.  His evidence is riddled with inconsistencies/untruths like these.

Are you able to make this info available because at the moment I'm going off the CoA doc and what I see is very detailed info where it suits the prosecution case.  Bearing in mind Nicholls, Steele and Whomes all had criminal records and were known drug dealers ie they may well have been in the vicinity expecting to take drugs off of or hand drugs over to the murdered trio. 

The CoA doc states:

At 17.03 a call was made from a telephone kiosk near The Halfway House public house on the A127 to Tate's mobile phone.

According to Nicholls he met with Steele and Whomes at circa 5pm at Marks Tey for onward journey to the Halfway House.  The difference between these 2 locations being 40 miles/45 mins.  Who called Tate on his mobile at 17.03 from a telephone kiosk near The Halfway House? 

[sika]

There is another couple of pages of cross examination but I can't copy it up at the moment.  I'll try again later.

He was utterly unconvincing, in my opinion. 

[Holly Goodhead]

There is another couple of pages of cross examination but I can't copy it up at the moment.  I'll try again later.

He was utterly unconvincing, in my opinion.

Thanks. Have you got anything from Steele/Whomes?

I agree utterly unconvincing.  Whose evidence is likely to be the most credible and reliable: Jasper's (a known criminal) or the expert who gave evidence at the trial of Steele/Whomes?  The former said he ferried Mr D to soc but had not initially spotted his 9mm Browning pistol and sawn-off shotgun when he first drove him to Workhouse Lane:

Jasper testified at the Old Bailey that he had agreed to the plan, but had not spotted Mr D's 9mm Browning pistol and a sawn-off shotgun when he first drove him to Workhouse Lane.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/882425.stm

Or the latter who testified at trial that the murder weapon was in all probability a full length shotgun? 

The sort of people who organised the murders would imo not involve idiots like Jasper.

[Holly Goodhead]

Here is an extract from a police statement made by Darren Nicholls.

I went through Rettendon the latter part of 1995. I remember an occasion when I was there with other people, they were Jack Whomes and Michael Steele, I remember that day. I was at work that day, I was working at Sunbury on Thames, my mobile was with me. Michael Steele rang me that day, he wondered where I was and would like to meet me, we did not discuss where we would meet because I was at work, I agreed to meet him later on that day, at Ron Parkinson’s motorcycles, Marks Tey at 5 o’clock, I drove to Marks Tey, in I think my Golf Convertible, I have been to Ron Parkinsons before, it sells motorcycles. When I arrived I parked in the flats opposite, Mr Steele wasn’t there when I arrived. When I arrived I went into the motorbike shop, I bought something for my old motorbike it was either a battery or a light bulb, I then put it in my car.

Whilst I was walking back to my car I saw Mick, I waved to him I said I was just putting something in my car, and then I got in his pick up truck. The pick up truck was a red Toyota it was an M registration I think. When I got in I sat in the passenger seat, he said they were going down to do a deal with Pat him and Jack I said “where is Jack”, he said “he’ll be here in a minute,” I don’t recall anything else he said, then I noticed Jack had pulled up behind us. Jack was in a beige Volkswagen, it was a B registration, I had sold the car to Michael Steele. When he pulled up he got out and spoke to Mick I don’t recall what was said, then he got back in his car, then we pulled off onto the A12 heading towards London. I was with Mick in his Toyota and Jack behind us in his Volkswagen. I can’t recall exactly what was said, but he said we would meet Pat and there was going to be a drug deal or we were having a drug deal I can't remember.

At that time I didn't know where we was going. Mick said Jack would show me where the deal was going to be he said did I know this place but I'm not sure, he said don't worry Jack would show you where to go. Nothing happened on the journey just normal chat, he told me I was going to swap cars and I was to get in the car with Jack and he was going to meet Pat on his own. We stopped in a lay-by near the Halfway House, which is a pub restaurant on the A127. When we stopped in the lay-by I got in the car with Jack, Mick was going to the Halfway House with Jack. We got to the far end of the lay-by gates, we swapped drivers.

Jack was to swap the number plates. I got my feet wet, Jack was wearing overalls and wellies, I remember the wellies more than the overalls because they were new. When we stopped Jack got out to stick the new number plates over the existing plates but they wouldn't stick as it was too wet. I saw the number plates he was trying to stick, they were B registration as well and they were brand new. When the plates couldn't be stuck they were put in the back of the car, and he said drive down to the Halfway House pub. I had been to the pub only as a child or driving past on the way to Southend.

When we got to the pub jack told me to park at the back as far away from the A127 as possible which I did. I could see Mick's Toyota parked in front of us to the left, after we parked Jack changed his mind and said no dont park here park as close to the A127 so I moved the car. I could still see the hi-lux which was in front again but to my right. Then we had to leave the car running because the windows were misting up because of the weather, I said shall we have a drink and Sack said no. Then he said we were waiting for Pat to arrive and go to a meeting point, shortly after that he said right go.

I saw a dark coloured Range Rover when he said that, the Range Rover drove and parked next to Micky's hi-lux, I couldn't see who was in the Range Rover. Jack then told me to drive off and up the slip road by the pub and back down the A127 to Southend, that is what I did. then he gave me directions down the A127 and on to the A130 to Chelmsford I think, which I am familiar with. A130 goes from the A127 all the way to Chelmsford, but we went to the Rettendon Turnpike, which is a roundabout with traffic lights on it. I went straight over to carry on towards Chelmsford, on the other side of Rettendon turnpike and up the hill and back down hill and out the other side.

Jack then said slow down and take the next right, which I did, it was a lane not a road, then I turned left into a gap to turn the car round, the head lamps were facing the road back towards the A130. Jack told me he would ring me when he wanted picking up, I had my mobile with me, he got out had a bag and a coat from the back, the bag I think was a canvass sausage shape bag, I didn't notice it in the car before, I might have done but it didn’t register. He told me he would ring me when he wanted me to pick him up, so I pulled off and went right towards Chelmsford, I drove down the road to the first point I could turn round to a petrol station, then I drove back up the road and parked in a pub on the left hand side of the road. I left the engine running and checked my phone to see I had a lousy signal so I moved to get a better signal up the road.

The pub I was in had a bright pink Morris Minor, the next pub I parked in past the lane and up the hill and took the first left turn, went up that road turned around and first left up there, then came up and parked outside the first house on my left and waited for him to ring. I didn’t wait there very long, my phone rang, Jack said come and pick us up and hung up I think I might have said ok. I turned right went back down the road, and had to wait for a few cars to go past so I could turn right into the lane, then turned the car round to face the road again. I didn’t see anyone and after a short period of time the back opened and Jack got in. I didn’t notice the interior light come on.

I said “where’s Mick” he said he won’t be a minute he’s dropped something. Jack was sitting between the back seats talking to me then Mick opened the passenger door of the car and the interior light came on. When the light came on I was looking at Jack, I notice he had surgical gloves and I saw something on them like blood, Mick said turn the interior light off, Mick had shut the door about the same time, then he said “lets get going,” he said go left towards Rettendon turnpike, so I pulled out, something clicked in my mind something had happened.

I pulled out in front on a car, Mick asked if I was ok, I said yes I was and as we drove up the road towards turnpike, Mick said they wont f..k us about no more, and Jack said yeah it was quite funny cause when Mick had shot one of them the gun fell apart, he kept asking me if I was ok several times. I realised what happened but not to who, so I said I hope I don’t fall out with you two, Mick said no you wont fall out with us. Micks started to hand over to Jack parts of the gun, I saw the barrels. I dont know the names of the other parts, I definitely saw the barrels. I was driving I was a bit confused at the time.

From the Rettendon turnpike we went back down the A130 to Southend, then at Rawreth traffic lights I turned left, straight to the bottom of that road, we turned right and then took another right turn on or two roads later. As we went up the road there was a pub on the right, the Hungry Horse or Hungry Hippo something like that. I drove into the car park of the pub and parked next to Mick’s Toyota which was on the left and stopped the car. They got out and I was still sitting there.

Mick had opened up his Toyota he told me to go and get in the Toyota which I did, then they were getting changed sort of thing, Mick was taking off his wellies and overalls off over his wellies, then slipping his shoes on, boiler suit and wellies were put in the pick up truck and Jack did the same I think, and then we drove off Mick drove the hi-lux with me in passenger seat and Jack was behind us in the Passat. We drove past the Rettendon lane, then Jack overtook us on the dual carriageway as we were driving slower.

There was some conversation in the car with Mr Steele, he said Jack was very cold hearted I said why, he first of all said when they stopped down the lane a gate had been shut so I got out the range rover I didn’t know where Jack was, then Jack leant into the range rover and shot all three of them, Jack handed Mick a gun and Mick shot them, then he said once that had happened Jack reloaded his gun and shot them all in the back of the head. I cant recall anything else that was said, I did say can we stop and have a drink Mick originally said yes good idea as Mick looked shaken up but when we got to Marks Tey he said best get home straight away. Then I got in my car and headed back to Braintree.

Afterwards I was working at Mick’s new house, like a cottage and there was things spoken there with Jack and Mick. In conversations Mick told me that when he was driving to the lane with them in the Range Rover that Pat’s girlfriend Sarah had rung Pat on the telephone all lovey dovey which he hated, not like when Sarah talked to Mick and Jackie. He was concerned Pat might have said he was with Mick now but he didn’t. Then he hung up the phone just as they were at the lane. I don’t know if it was Mick or Jack said when Pat was shot in the back he started to squeal like a baby and his hand had come up and put his hand through the window.

Also Jack had said to me at some point Mick was really excited when he shot them and saying “give me some more cartridge, give me some more cartridges.” Afterwards Mick said that he hadn’t felt bad about it as Pat deserved it he was such a b........, who would give a f..k that pat was dead as nobody liked him which was quite true probably. There was conversation as why it happened with Mick. Roughly it was that when the money had been returned from the bad drug deal a lot of the money Pat had put into it wasn’t his he had borrowed it and that what Pat decided to do was not pay the people back and blame Mick to say he hadn’t paid them back. Mick knew this because Sarah had told him Pat’s ex girlfriend.

Pat was telling them he hadn’t been paid back and if he wasn’t paid back he would kill Mick.

If Nicholls was being truthful in his testimony about all these car journeys on 6th Dec 1995 which included the M25 and country lanes in rural Essex how come he didn't mention anything about the atrocious weather conditions by way of snow, road conditions and traffic? 

The following news bulletins refers to traffic jams of 20 miles on the M25 with one section completely closed:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOb7ksC-NJ8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOb7ksC-NJ8

[Holly Goodhead]

If Nicholls was being truthful in his testimony about all these car journeys on 6th Dec 1995 which included the M25 and country lanes in rural Essex how come he didn't mention anything about the atrocious weather conditions by way of snow, road conditions and traffic? 

The following news bulletins refers to traffic jams of 20 miles on the M25 with one section completely closed:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOb7ksC-NJ8

At the start of his WS he states he could remember the day in question and that he had been working in Sunbury on Thames.  The CoA doc tells us when he left Sunbury he did so by way of the M25 and M11.  He then details various other car journeys including the soc situated in rural Essex but not a word about the severe snow and traffic Does anyone find this suspicious or is it just me?!

http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Crim/2006/195.html

[Holly Goodhead]

This appears to be Steele's alibi from his then common law wife Jackie Street.  It's a WS narrated by the same guy whose vids Myster uploaded. 

Imo it is very weak:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkPbFvbSu10

She claimed during the afternoon Whomes called at the home she shared with Steele to drop off a "little" tractor.  She said she thought Whomes was then due to go with Steele to Bulphan to collect a trailer from Whomes' uncle Dennis but it became apparent Whomes was not going (I'm reminded of the joke how many men does it take to change a light bulb) so she accompanied Steele.  She then claims Steele called Whomes on the A127 flyover to seek directions (A127 being close to a location in Nicholls testimony and the tel evidence) to Uncle Dennis!  Why didn't he ask when Whomes was at his home earlier in the day?!  Apparently when they arrived Uncle Dennis was out and bizarrely Steele felt the need to let Whomes know this fact.  What a couple of old women 

She did however make ref to the weather conditions on a couple of occasions. 

The above is possible but I don't find it at all plausible especially taking into consideration Whomes alibi whereby he states he was near Rettendon to collect a broken down vehicle from Nicholls. 

The geography really tells the story.  The homes and places of work of Steele and Whomes are miles from the areas they happened to be visiting which just happen to fit the tel evidence and close to the homes of those murdered and more importantly the soc.  Its simply not plausible. 

I still find Nicholls testimony unreliable.  Imo either Steele and Whomes are responsible or more likely they were in the area to carry out some drug deal with the murdered trio but not responsible for the murders.  They were then caught between the devil and the deep blue sea!  If they admitted the real reason for being in the area (as per phone evidence) they had to admit to carrying out a drug deal with the murdered trio.  This would mean a potential custodial sentence for drug offences and/or they were putting themselves in the frame for murder.

[Holly Goodhead]

Here's Whomes' alibi in the same format as Steele's above:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTXmlJwBSYI

His alibi also puts him in the right place at the right time for the murders but was he there to assist in transporting drugs as opposed to murder!?  His role in the gang seems to have been transport and storage as opposed to procuring and dealing.

Anyway back to Steele his alibi puts him at Whomes' uncle Dennis' place in Bulpham at approx 6.23pm.  Bulpham is very close to the homes of the murdered trio, Lakeside shopping centre where Rolfe's Range Rover was last seen at 6pm, Tucker's stables and the soc.  Distance in miles/mins as follows:

Bulphan - Rolfe's home - Chafford Hundred - 7.8 miles/14mins
Bulphan - Lakeside Shopping Centre - Rolfe's Range Rover on CCTV at 6pm - 9.3 miles/18mins
Bulphan - Tucker's Stables - 4 miles/10mins
Bulphan - Tucker's Home - 9.5 miles/16 mins
Bulphan - Tate's Home - 12 miles/16 mins
Bulphan - Rettendon - 18.5 miles/24 mins

His albi involved taking a trailer to Bulphan. 

Whomes' alibi involved a trailer too but this was to collect Nicholls' car. 

So we have Steele and Whomes in the right place at the right time supposedly with trailers   

This is a little more than suspicious but the question remains were they in the right place at the right time to a) complete a drug deal only, b) murder only or a and b?

And what about the "little" tractor Jackie Street refers to in her alibi for Steele?  What exactly was the purpose of this "little" tractor?  Did it remain at Steele's home or was it taken on the back of one of these trailers for some purpose?

And what about Tucker's girlfriend Anna leaving a message on his mobile about just back from the stables at circa 11pm?  Did she go and check whether drugs had been dropped off or were still there or something similar?

See how close the stables are to Bulphan.

[Holly Goodhead]

Donna Jagger's WS refers to a previous drug deal taking place at the stables:

Craig told me that this was happening and stated that STEELE was happy to continue bringing it in until they were all millionaires. I can not say when the deal took place but I can say that at that time I witnessed the change over of the drugs. Mickey STEEL drove to Longwood Stables in Dry Street, Basildon, Essex, where TUCKER had two horses. I arrived there with Craig and met Tony who was with his horses.

Steele had a long history of criminal convictions going back to 1964 does anyone know what these involved?  Did any involve any sort of violence?  As far as drugs go he seemed to be involved with cannabis (class B).  Any history of class A? 

Whomes apparently taught himself to read and write in prison.  He was by trade a mechanic.  His only previous conviction car fraud. 

Steele was definitely the brains and the leader among Nicholls and Whomes.  It seems the pair looked up to him and he was of course some 30 and 20 years their elder respectively.  If Steele had no previous for violence it would seem strange that at the age of 55 he suddenly decided to go from no violence to murder x 3 especially given he seems to have pretty much lived a life of crime.

[Holly Goodhead]

From the CoA doc a trailer is referred to in connection with a previous drug deal:

The second importation followed a visit to Amsterdam on 3 October. On this occasion Nicholls travelled with his friend Francis Reid. Steele entrusted Nicholls with £60 – 70,000. Nicholls purchased a pair of waders for himself because he had become very wet when helping to push Steele's boat off in August. Nicholls and Reid travelled from Felixstowe to Zeebrugge. He did not tell Reid the reason for the trip. In Amsterdam Nicholls saw Stone and took delivery of a consignment of herbal cannabis. Nicholls and Reid then went to Blankenberg. Reid remained in a bar when Nicholls met Steele who was in his boat. Steele and Nicholls returned to England with the drugs in the boat. Reid was left to make his own way home. The tickets for the crossings were in Reid's name and were paid for on Nicholls' credit card. For the return journey the ticket was amended from two passengers to one. After a difficult crossing, Nicholls and Steele met Whomes who had come to the agreed landing place at Point Clear in his Range-Rover. During the unloading operation the Range-Rover became stuck and Steele went to his mother's house nearby to borrow her car. Steele took the drugs away in the car. Nicholls and Whomes remained and eventually freed the Range-Rover. Steele later returned and he and Whomes obtained a trailer with which they transported the boat to an inland destination. Again Nicholls received a kilo of the drugs as payment and was given a further kilo to sell on behalf of Steele.

[Holly Goodhead]

I don't see why the 6th December wasn't a continuation of the previous arrangements as described by the CoA:

Nicholls, Steele, Whomes and Tate had been in prison together in 1993. Following their respective releases, Nicholls had contact with both Tate and Steele. He did electrical and similar work for Steele. On one occasion he sold a 9 ounce block of cannabis for Steele. In August 1995 Nicholls agreed with Steele that he would play a part in the importation of cannabis. Whomes was also party to the initial discussion. The source of the cannabis was John Stone who ran a café in Amsterdam. Three importations took place between August and November 1995.

So 3 importations took place between Aug and Nov including the 1 where the duff cannabis was destroyed but all got their money back.  Approx 1 per month so they were due another which may have been what was going on on 6th Dec. 

Is there any evidence for a plane and cocaine?  Cannabis can be legally purchased in Holland although I've no idea if laws exist in terms of quantity etc.  Steele was purchasing from a John Stone who run a cafe in Amsterdam and then importing via his boat across the Channel.  Obtaining cocaine and flying it about in planes with clandestine drops, albeit Steele did at one time have a light aircraft and a pilots licence, is surely a whole different ball game? 

Does Steele have any history of violence and/or dealing in class A drugs?
 

[sika]

The following is taken from Judge Hiddens summing up at trial.

Michael Steele's evidence is that he is 55 and has been living with Jacqueline Street as man and wife for a number of years. He said technically he is an engineer by trade. He said he can turn his hand to anything. His strengths include computer aided design and most aspects of engineering, turning and tool making. His work requires a lot of attention to detail and he does such precision work as the making of the model helicopter which you remember seeing, you need not look at now, in Exhibit 260. He designed that from scratch having conceived it on a drawing board.

He turned straight away to the question of his convictions and he said he preferred you to know everything there is and he said he was not a stranger to criminal courts.

Before this court appearance where he now appears at this court he has been before the courts on a number of occasions. He went through them. I will not take you through them all again. They started in 1964 and there was a prison sentence for the second one on 24th March 1964. I will not take through the other four appearances he spoke of in the 1960s. Then he told you about four more appearances between then and 1990. He told you that on 29th June 1990 before Chelmsford Crown Court he was convicted of importation of controlled drugs and was sentenced to 9 years' imprisonment and an order of confiscation made in the sum of nearly £120,000, £119,000 and £150 with 12 months to pay and 3 years' consecutive to that period of 9 years if he did not make the payment.

He told you that in July 1990 he pleaded guilty to a count of importation of controlled drugs. That was 300 kilograms of cannabis resin. He told you about the confiscation order and the prison sentence and he told you about his release date from prison being 3rd June 1993.