Jeremy Bambers assault on Julie Mugford at Sheila's old flat

[Admin]

Sheila's Flat - Maida Vale - Wed 4 Sept 1985

According to Julie Mugford, she telephoned Bamber at Sheila's flat in Maida Vale on Tuesday 3 September 1985.  She called round the following day. She said it appeared that he was staying at the flat with a friend, Richard Deckers.  She arrived at the flat at 2.50pm and sat waiting in the doorway. He arrived with Brett at about 3.40pm, he got out of the car before Brett and came over and gave her a hug. She asked to see him alone and we walked to a cafe across the road.

In the cafe she asked about their relationship.  Bamber said he had been sold out and was it a matter of continuing the relation ship or her going to the police. Bamber said that he didn't want to continue the relationship and wanted his freedom. Brett arrived at the cafe and discussed some business with Jeremy.  Julie states that they she then suggested moving some of her belongings to her new address before all three again left for Sheila's flat.

At the flat Brett attended to a man who had just arrived. The phone rang and Jeremy answered it.  Julie says that he seemed speak in an overly friendly manner to the caller so she asked him who it was and he replied Virginia.  Virginia was previously acquainted with both Jeremy and Richard Decker.  Julie states that she terminated the call before the phone rang again, it was Virginia. Julie was angry with Jeremy as he had asked out another woman.  She states that she walked out of the room into a bedroom where she picked up a Chinese box and threw it against a mirror, smashing it.  With that Jeremy came into the room with the phone before ending the call.

Jeremy asked why she had did it and she told him that it was cruel to ask out another woman while she was there, Bamber became really cross and Julie had slapped his face.  Julie recalls that he grabbed her right arm and pushed it up her back and shoved her onto the bed and made to strike her.  Julies states that she goaded him daring him to hit her.  She said she told him that she would go straight to Essex Police and they would listen to her. Bamber said that the case was so watertight that they would never listen to her.

Bamber let go of her and lay on the bed very quiet. Julie said she asked him to speak to her and why he was so quiet. She said he looked worried and she felt sorry for him. They started talking again normally and she told him that he could trust her and that she wouldn't say anything. Jeremy eventually gave her a lift home to her flat.


Brett Collins was a friend whom Bamber had met while in New Zealand.


Julie Mugford witness statement page 27
Julie Mugford witness statement page 28
Julie Mugford witness statement page 29
Julie Mugford witness statement page 30
Julie Mugford witness statement page 31
Julie Mugford witness statement page 32

[John]

That was his downfall in the end, he told Julie Mugford too much and thought that he could dump her when he assumed that he was in the clear.  A watertight case indeed!!

Silly boy, has he never heard of a woman scorned??

[invictus]

That was his downfall in the end, he told Julie Mugford too much and thought that he could dump her when he assumed that he was in the clear.  A watertight case indeed!!

Silly boy, has he never heard of a woman scorned??

I think Bamber was doomed even if he hadn't scorned Julie. Remember she had told her flatmate about Bamber's story of hiring a hitman BEFORE the bust up. And she was asking Bamber how he could be so happy and carefree (he was getting the money!) knowing what he had done.

In my opinion Julie would never have lived with Bamber's secret either way.

[Admin]

That was his downfall in the end, he told Julie Mugford too much and thought that he could dump her when he assumed that he was in the clear.  A watertight case indeed!!

Silly boy, has he never heard of a woman scorned??

I think Bamber was doomed even if he hadn't scorned Julie. Remember she had told her flatmate about Bamber's story of hiring a hitman BEFORE the bust up. And she was asking Bamber how he could be so happy and carefree (he was getting the money!) knowing what he had done.

In my opinion Julie would never have lived with Bamber's secret either way.

Julie was most forthcoming in explaining why she had not come forward immediately after the numbers and we can empathise with her on that score.

She explained that when Bamber told her that McDonald the mercenary was involved she feared for her own life if she was to squeal on them.  One has to remember that if what Bamber had told her was true then another death would not mean much to such a brute.

You are perfectly correct invictus when you say that Julie confided in the others to begin with.  It would seem that she was indeed fearful and wanted to tell someone just in case she met with a sudden death too.  Maybe get knocked down crossing the High Street or fall overboard from a cross channel ferry??

One has to remember that Julie was a working class girl with brains to spare.... a bit like the opposite of Jackie Preece if you know what we mean??   She was going places with or without Bamber!!