UK Justice Forum 🇬🇧
Alleged Miscarriages of Justice => Siôn Jenkins and the murder of his adopted daughter Billie-Jo. => Topic started by: John on July 12, 2012, 01:49:07 AM
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On 2 July 1998 Siôn Jenkins was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his foster daughter Billie-Jo Jenkins. On 9 February 2006, after two appeals and two retrials he was finally acquitted. He had spent six years in prison, and from the outset had consistently maintained his complete innocence.
There were always serious concerns about the verdict, and many unanswered questions about the conduct of the case. In April 1999 this website was launched with the aim of reversing a serious miscarriage of justice. It was dedicated to a detailed analysis of the case.
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Fal16HAoLI4/TG5ZXbsW2SI/AAAAAAAAAZk/bDL7pDogdRI/s1600/Sion+Jenkins.jpg)
Siôn Jenkins Victim Billie-Jo Jenkins
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The Background
On 15 February 1997, a Saturday afternoon, at approximately 3.30pm, 13-year-old Billie-Jo Jenkins was battered to death. She suffered an untold number of blows to the head which shattered her skull. The killer left behind his weapon, an 18-inch metal tent spike, which was lying by her head. Billie-Jo was not sexually assaulted; nor was the house broken into or burgled. The doctor called to the scene said that in 26 years as a police surgeon it was the most brutal murder he had ever attended.
Siôn and Lois Jenkins lived in Lower Park Road, Hastings, with their four daughters—Annie (then 12), Lottie (10), Esther (9) and Maya (7). They had moved there in 1993 from Bow, East London, where they had acquired a fifth daughter, Billie-Jo, a school friend of Annie’s, whom they took into foster care and who moved with them to Hastings when Siôn was appointed deputy head of William Parker boys’ comprehensive school.
There had been a number of incidents in the area during past months. In the immediate vicinity of the Jenkins’ home, there had been 41 crimes in Lower Park Road and 25 in Alexandra Park opposite. In 1996, two young girls were sexually assaulted and two people murdered in Hastings. So the murder of Billie-Jo was straightaway linked to these other local crimes, as well as to the deaths of Lin and Megan Russell in Chillenden, Kent. Police described the attack as “vicious and frenzied”and the killer as “evil and deranged”.
The house next door to the Jenkins’ was derelict and had been boarded up for 18 months. “Police believe that [the killer] hid behind a hedge in the garden next door watching Billie-Jo”, reported the Mirror, “and lay in wait until the family went out”. Detective Superintendent Jeremy Paine said, “It would have been easy for the killer to pick the tent peg up.”
From the very beginning, the murder became a high-profile news story. The papers reported that police were looking for a man with a scar or birthmark across his face, who had been seen acting strangely in the area on the day of the murder.
Within a few days, however, police attention had shifted instead to Siôn Jenkins. He was arrested on 24 February 1997 and charged with Billie-Jo’s murder on 14 March 1997. He was found guilty on 2 July 1998 and sentenced to life imprisonment. He has always protested his complete innocence.
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What Happened (According to Siôn Jenkins)
On that Saturday, at the end of the half-term holiday, Lois took Annie, Esther and Maya shopping to Safeway’s. Later on she telephoned Siôn to say that she couldn’t pay for the groceries as she’d forgotten her cheque-book, and asked him to bring it for her. When he got there, they realised that he’d taken an old book with no cheques left in it. So he had to return home and go back again to Safeway’s with a current cheque-book.
They then all returned home. Lottie, who’d been at the cinema with friends, was taken to a clarinet class with another friend by Mrs A, that friend’s mother. Siôn and Lois then arranged that while Lois took Esther and Maya for a walk on the beach, Siôn would pick up Lottie from her clarinet class. As it happened, he didn’t know where that was, so they drove round so that Lois could point out the house to him.
While Lois went to the beach, Siôn set the older children to doing household tasks: Annie cleaned out a storeroom (and, in doing so, placed three metal tent pegs, originally used to secure an old garden swing, on the coal bunker in the garden); and Billie-Jo swept the patio.
Siôn then took Annie with him to fetch Lottie, leaving Billie-Jo painting the patio doors. They picked up Lottie, and also took her friend home. Mrs A. estimated that they dropped her daughter off at about 3.15–3.20.
When they got home. Siôn realised they would need some white spirit and so, taking Annie and Lottie with him, drove to Do-It-All.
Having arrived there, he realised that, exactly like Lois earlier in the day, he’d forgotten to take any means of payment with him, so it was another wasted journey.
They returned home, and went into the house.
Billie-Jo was lying in a pool of blood on the patio. Siôn went in, crouched down beside her, and ushered the two distraught children out of the room. He examined her more carefully, and immediately made a 999 call for an ambulance. He then telephoned a neighbour. Eight minutes after the first 999 call, at her suggestion, he made another.
As the ambulance men came, he went outside to his car, and got in, momentarily wondering whether he should put the hood up as it looked like rain. He quickly went back inside.
Later, Lois was contacted and they all left home to stay with neighbours while police combed their house and garden for clues.
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What Happened (According to the Prosecution)
After a day of “frustration and irritation”, Jenkins returned from picking up Lottie from her music lesson, saw Billie-Jo at work on the patio doors and become instantly enraged, either because her work was slapdash, or because she was playing the radio too loudly, or for a combination of such reasons.
He therefore picked up the metal tent spike and, in a fit of uncontrollable fury, bludgeoned her to death, even though Annie and Lottie were around at the time and could have caught him in the act just by wandering in.
The prosecution could offer no real motive for him to have behaved in this way, and suggested that it would always remain a mystery.
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Billie-Jo had a piece of black bin liner pushed into one nostril. There was a mentally-ill man, well known locally, in the vicinity at the time. He had a fixation with pushing pieces of bin liner up his nose.
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What Happened (According to the Prosecution)
After a day of “frustration and irritation”, Jenkins returned from picking up Lottie from her music lesson, saw Billie-Jo at work on the patio doors and become instantly enraged, either because her work was slapdash, or because she was playing the radio too loudly, or for a combination of such reasons.
He therefore picked up the metal tent spike and, in a fit of uncontrollable fury, bludgeoned her to death, even though Annie and Lottie were around at the time and could have caught him in the act just by wandering in.
The prosecution could offer no real motive for him to have behaved in this way, and suggested that it would always remain a mystery.
Thanks for that John,
An interesting look into the case. One glaring feature is the excuse about 'an old cheque book' being picked up. Once maybe, but twice on the same day?.........one too many for me. I believe he completely 'lost it' with her for the reasons you stated. Billie-Jo being a typical prickly teenager had reached the age where most teenagers can be difficult and rebellious. She had probably started to answer him back - not something Jenkins could tolerate. After a frustrating day his explosive and violent temper finally got the better of him. He snapped and (as with most people with this sort of disorder) everything would have gone black - variously described by those it affects as the 'red mist'
Jenkins went into a murderous frenzy. Billie-Jo's murder had all the hallmarks of a killer than could not control his rage. She was struck numerous times in a crime of pure fury and rage. If this were the act of a stranger, it would be highly unusual if not unprecedented.
His wife described Jenkins as having an extremely violent temper and would often beat her and his children.
I highly doubt there was any convenient 'stranger' no matter what the situation was in the vicinity at the time.This seems to be a recurring theme when murderers or their supporters are looking for a scapegoat Murderous people rarely choose the exact same area to commit violent acts in.
Jenkins, (whom many have described as)being the arrogant, deceiptful cunning man that he is, managed to squirm his way out of his just punishment. True hard evidence in this case was not enough to convict him. The jury were deadlocked and could simply not decide. However, the police, his ex-wife, Billie-Jo's family and the local residents knew who the killer was of this defenseless young girl. They knew things about him that were not presented at court.
As the old saying goes 'every dog has his day' His will come soon enough.
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The problem I have with an 'outsider' doing it is time. I think Billie-Jo was dropped off and then the rest of them went to a shop or on an errand. I can do Tesco and back in about half an hour to get a couple of bags and self serve, which doesn't allow (if they went on a similar run) to stake the house out, get in, kill someone and make off again assuming Billie-Jo put a struggle up too and an intruder wouldn't have know how long someone else would be out.
I don't want to think he did it because he's a headmaster (was) and should have had enough 'training' to tolerate and diffuse a mouthy teenager.
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The problem I have with an 'outsider' doing it is time. I think Billie-Jo was dropped off and then the rest of them went to a shop or on an errand. I can do Tesco and back in about half an hour to get a couple of bags and self serve, which doesn't allow (if they went on a similar run) to stake the house out, get in, kill someone and make off again assuming Billie-Jo put a struggle up too and an intruder wouldn't have know how long someone else would be out.
I don't want to think he did it because he's a headmaster (was) and should have had enough 'training' to tolerate and diffuse a mouthy teenager.
Good points Joanne,
Her murder just makes no sense. I could understand if there was a motive, it appears that if she was murdered by a stranger, then that person bludgeoned her for no reason at all. There was no sexual assault, no-one with a grudge against her, nothing. Besides - how would a stranger know who was in the house and who wasnt? Lois, Jenkins wife, had been gone for hours and the rest of the family could return at any second.
The police were very uncomfotable with Jenkins version of events right from the start. Moreover, his wife described Jenkins as telling the rest of the family in a particularly cold and emotionless manner after the discovery of Billie-Jo's body by simply stating to them that 'Billie's dead' Mrs Jenkins remembered him as very cold and detached. Exactly ehe way he would be after a violent outburst.
I for one believe that this man is guilty and true-to-form he is making alot of noise about his innocence - for me..........a little too much. Shakespeare wrote in Hamlet "Methinks thou dost protest too much."
Read into that what you will. 8((()*/
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The problem I have with an 'outsider' doing it is time. I think Billie-Jo was dropped off and then the rest of them went to a shop or on an errand. I can do Tesco and back in about half an hour to get a couple of bags and self serve, which doesn't allow (if they went on a similar run) to stake the house out, get in, kill someone and make off again assuming Billie-Jo put a struggle up too and an intruder wouldn't have know how long someone else would be out.
I don't want to think he did it because he's a headmaster (was) and should have had enough 'training' to tolerate and diffuse a mouthy teenager.
It doesn't work exactly like that Joanne. I know of a well respected teacher who used to beat up his sister behind the scenes and caused all sorts of problems for his mother. A bit akin to a Jekyll and Hyde character.
I would not be at all surprised if Jenkins was as nice as pie while in school but a different man at home.
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Are you going to sort the typo out on the menu page? @)(++(*
What typo Joanne?
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Siôn Jenkins and tyhe murder of his adopted daughter Billie-Jo
Its on the main board page ^^ 'the' not tyhe! @)(++(*
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Siôn Jenkins and tyhe murder of his adopted daughter Billie-Jo
Its on the main board page ^^ 'the' not tyhe! @)(++(*
Thanks Joanne...too many vinos. hic 8(0(*
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This case has been more than an intrigue to us, our attention being drawn in because of the nature of the attack, isolated female suffering severe head injuries in the environs of her own home. This had all of the hallmarks bar one of a series of attacks across the Southern part of England. Quite recently we unearthed the element we had been seeking, in common with the other attacks there is one individual living in the immediate vicinity who graduated from the same college on the same day, this information has yet to be fully verified as I type but we are quite confident in the results we have. Sojourn to Hastings on the cards, watch this space.
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The problem I have with an 'outsider' doing it is time. I think Billie-Jo was dropped off and then the rest of them went to a shop or on an errand. I can do Tesco and back in about half an hour to get a couple of bags and self serve, which doesn't allow (if they went on a similar run) to stake the house out, get in, kill someone and make off again assuming Billie-Jo put a struggle up too and an intruder wouldn't have know how long someone else would be out.
I don't want to think he did it because he's a headmaster (was) and should have had enough 'training' to tolerate and diffuse a mouthy teenager.
Sorry, but I disagree with your point entirely. 30 minutes is perfectly sufficient window of opportunity for an opportunist. In addition to which, if a stalker were staking the house out, then by definition they have all the time in the world to set up an observation point in advance. Then when it is clear Billie is alone, they can choose to strike then. Remember that Billie was still dying when Sion found her (according to the defence).
Instead, if we take the prosecution's version of events Sion has a maximum window of opportunity of only 2-3 minutes which makes it far less likely. In that time Sion is expected to encounter Billie (alive), reach boiling point, kill her, clean himself up and then come up with a ruse to cover his tracks. Besides, the only person who claims that Sion had a violent temper was Lois herself. A claim she only made after the murder. This is not corroborated by any of the girls, relatives, neighbours, live in au pairs, Sion's work colleagues or his pupils. Lois never mentioned this before despite her work as a social worker and Billie never mentioned in any of her regular private meetings with social workers having been fostered by the Jenkins.
There is (or at least was) far more evidence pointing suspicion elsewhere than suggesting Sion's involvement.
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Sorry, but I disagree with your point entirely. 30 minutes is perfectly sufficient window of opportunity for an opportunist. In addition to which, if a stalker were staking the house out, then by definition they have all the time in the world to set up an observation point in advance. Then when it is clear Billie is alone, they can choose to strike then. Remember that Billie was still dying when Sion found her (according to the defence).
Instead, if we take the prosecution's version of events Sion has a maximum window of opportunity of only 2-3 minutes which makes it far less likely. In that time Sion is expected to encounter Billie (alive), reach boiling point, kill her, clean himself up and then come up with a ruse to cover his tracks. Besides, the only person who claims that Sion had a violent temper was Lois herself. A claim she only made after the murder. This is not corroborated by any of the girls, relatives, neighbours, live in au pairs, Sion's work colleagues or his pupils. Lois never mentioned this before despite her work as a social worker and Billie never mentioned in any of her regular private meetings with social workers having been fostered by the Jenkins.
There is (or at least was) far more evidence pointing suspicion elsewhere than suggesting Sion's involvement.
I disagree. He didn't need to clean up and two or three minutes is more than enough time to bludgeon someone to death with a metal spike and leave them to die.
What has never been revealed though is why he might have lost it and killed her. What could she have been about to reveal that was so terrible? I have my own views on this and it makes perfect sense to me.
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It may have been sufficient time if it were a pre-meditated attack (which the prosecution do not claim it to be). Then the attack and 'escape' plan would have been worked out in advance. But this was considered to be entirely due to a momentary burst of anger. He would have had to go from at worst bit flustered when returning from do-it-all. In particular the other girls do not report him getting angry when with them either before or after this window of opportunity when the attack was said to have taken place. Then bursting into a rage when seeing Billie-Jo, attacking her with the spike, to calming himself down and cleaning up any blood and sweat from his face and hands. Then finally coming up with a plan of what to do. I'm sorry but the window of opportunity for all that is at best tight or simply not feasible. Why do you think he wouldn't have had to clean up? There was blood on the spike so it would have been on his hands.
The prosecution's case was that he flew into a fit of rage due to frustration from the wasted journeys to both the supermarket and do-it-all, then to be finally confronted by Billie-Jo making a mess of painting the window frames. Again this stretches credibility as this rage would have been without precedent. He had raised the other other girls and was an experienced teacher without any angry outbursts of note. The family were under the watchful eye of the social services due to fostering Billie-Jo and applying to adopt her. Nothing had ever been reported and none of Lois' subsequent claims were corroborated by anyone else. Including their live in nannies.
Finally, it must be remembered that the reason the patio doors were being painted was after them being repaired due to the latest of a series of attempted break ins.
Please air your views on the matter, I would like to hear them.
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Our suspicions have proved to be correct. Our inquiry now includes this significantly characteristic attack.
AH
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Our suspicions have proved to be correct. Our inquiry now includes this significantly characteristic attack.
AH
Would you care to explain further?
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Sion Jenkins is not a miscarriage of justice https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2006/feb/09/ukcrime.sandralaville
In fact I would suggest none of the cases highlighted in Sandra Leans book No Smoke are
http://miscarriageofjustice.co/index.php?topic=595.msg428098#msg428098
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Sion Jenkins is not a miscarriage of justice https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2006/feb/09/ukcrime.sandralaville
In fact I would suggest none of the cases highlighted in Sandra Leans book No Smoke are
http://miscarriageofjustice.co/index.php?topic=595.msg428098#msg428098
Why do you think that?
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Why do you think that?
FYI Stephanie hasn't justified any of her previous statements. I very much doubt that is going to change any time soon.
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This case has been more than an intrigue to us, our attention being drawn in because of the nature of the attack, isolated female suffering severe head injuries in the environs of her own home. This had all of the hallmarks bar one of a series of attacks across the Southern part of England. Quite recently we unearthed the element we had been seeking, in common with the other attacks there is one individual living in the immediate vicinity who graduated from the same college on the same day, this information has yet to be fully verified as I type but we are quite confident in the results we have. Sojourn to Hastings on the cards, watch this space.
Why in your opinion does the nature of the attacknot point to Sion Jenkins?
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For the avoidance of doubt, are you quoting AerialHunter or directing your question to them?
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Secondary victims and the trauma of wrongful conviction: Families and children’s perspectives on imprisonment, release and adjustment
Sion Jenkins
First Published May 7, 2013
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0004865812470384?journalCode=anja
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Just been reading about this case,
'Denise returns to Billie-Jo’s side to take a closer look at her injuries and to try and staunch the blood by wrapping her head with a towel. She notices that something has been stuffed into Billie-Jo’s left nostril, and discovers when she pulls it out that it’s part of a black bin liner that her head is lying on.'
Totally bizarre that Billie Joe had a piece of bin liner stuffed up her nose.
Can anyone suggest a rational explanation for this?
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I've been reading a bit more today & I'm a little in two minds here.
Had I been on they jury I'm not certain I could have found him guilty.
The blood spatter on his top certainly makes him look guilty, but maybe I've watched too many horror movies, I can't help thinking he would have had more blood on him than was found.
And his erratic movements around the time, supposedly preventing one of the children from entering the house, sitting in the car, driving around the park, going to the shops without cash, make him look guilty too.
But there's something about the bin bag up the nose which is baffling me & doesn't seem to fit.
The only thing it does fit is the nut case who had a plastic fetish, but he supposedly was homeless & when they picked him up two days later they found nothing on his clothes apparently.
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A new review of DNA and blood tests are taking place.
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/17490009/dna-blood-tests-solve-murder-billie-jo-jenkins/
COLD CASE DNA and blood tests could solve murder of schoolgirl Billie-Jo Jenkins 25 years on
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Billie-Jo Jenkins detective regrets not solving murder - but has fresh hope 25 years on
Billie-Jo Jenkins was battered to death with an iron tent peg in February 1997, but the probe into her murder has remained unsolved. Sussex police are now doing a forensic review of the case.
The detective who led the original probe into the murder of 13-year-old Billie-Jo Jenkins has spoken of his regret that the case remains unsolved.
Retired officer Jeremy Paine still hopes improvements in forensic science will nail the killer who battered Billie-Jo to death with an iron tent peg in February 1997.
She was in the back garden of the Hastings home in East Sussex she shared with foster dad Sion Jenkins, his wife Lois and their four daughters.
He was convicted of the murder and jailed for life but he always denied the crime and was acquitted in 2006 after two inconclusive retrials.
Sussex Police are doing a forensic review of the case, the first for 15 years.
Mr Paine, who appears tonight on a Channel 5 documentary about the case, said: “This was a tragic and brutal act of violence. Billie-Jo had her whole life in front of her.”
He said the programme made him appreciate how much people still remember about Billie-Jo 25 years later, mourn her lost life and seek justice for the schoolgirl.
Mr Paine said the documentary goes through the investigation and presents the evidence so viewers can “make their own mind up”.
It includes the 999 call from Mr Jenkins in which he says: “My daughter’s fallen or she’s got head injuries. There’s blood everywhere.”
The case turned on 158 tiny spots of Billie-Jo’s blood found on Mr Jenkins’ fleece, trousers and shoes.
The defence said it was caused by a fine spray of blood as he tended to her.
Other forensic scientists believed the blood pattern was the result of “impact spatter”, saying the shape and position showed they got there as Mr Jenkins was standing over Billie-Jo and hitting her repeatedly.
Mr Jenkins is understood to have declined to appear in the film, which includes extracts from a book he co-wrote about the case.
Who Killed Billie-Jo?, Channel 5, tonight at 9pm.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/billie-jo-jenkins-detective-regrets-26186703
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Did anyone else watch the Channel 5 documentary about the Billie-Jo case this evening?
For me, the individual below was always the prime suspect but as it wasn't until a day after the murder that he was investigated, key forensic evidence was lost.
"A mentally ill man with a fetish for plastic bags was seen near the house in Hastings, East Sussex, where Billie-Jo Jenkins was bludgeoned to death with a tent peg, a court heard yesterday.
The 13-year-old was killed as she painted the patio doors at the back of the family home in February 1997. A neighbour who tended to her after the attack found part of a black plastic binbag stuffed deep inside one of her nostrils."
https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2005/jun/15/ukcrime.laurasmith
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Did anyone else watch the Channel 5 documentary about the Billie-Jo case this evening?
Lol
With delusional dupe Dennis Eady
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Lol
With delusional dupe Dennis Eady
I strongly suspect ‘Betty’ is being used by Dennis Eady, & Holly Greenwood, for their cause - which has nothing whatsoever to do with truth or justice 🙄
https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2021-03-11/claims-cuts-to-legal-aid-has-led-to-broken-criminal-justice-system
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Did anyone else watch the Channel 5 documentary about the Billie-Jo case this evening?
Only seen about 10 minutes today. Haven’t yet heard Dennis Eady’s contribution 🙄
Would like to hear from Jill Dando’s killer and his grifter sister Michelle Diskin Bates on what they made of it
They are all bestest friends
Grifter Diskin Bates stated in 2008 via the Independent newspaper
‘I knew they would get on well because they have so much in common’
Both Killers!
She’s supporting serial killer Michael Stone now as well as IRA terrorists
Stand Against Injustice (Aka Michelle Diskin Bates via Fb)
I’ve been involved with miscarriage of justice for over twenty years now. I’m not a legal, but I’ve seen many cases of wrongful conviction…the B6, G4, Mag7 and my own brother, Barry George and many more. I’ve looked at the evidence in this case and can find anything to implicate Stone. As you know when I look at justice I see it from two sides…the victim/family, and the defendant/family. The Russells have not received justice here because the wrong man was convicted. Belfield was free to continue his terror because Stone was wrongfully convicted.
I don’t speak about this case specifically in my book ‘Stand Against Injustice’, but I show, through other cases, how these things happen and the frequency. 🙏🏼
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‘Silence of the lambs’
Did Sandra Lean include that fact about Sion Jenkins in her book ‘No Smoke’?
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Lol
With delusional dupe Dennis Eady
Oh my god @)(++(* @)(++(* @)(++(*