KENT TAXI DRIVER JAILED FOR MURDER OF EX-PARTNER SARAH WELLGREEN
A taxi driver accused of killing the mother of his children and dumping her body has been convicted of her murder.Ben Lacomba was the primary suspect when his ex-partner Sarah Wellgreen disappeared in October 2018.
Lacomba, aged 39, from New Ash Green, Kent, was found guilty of murdering Sarah Wellgreen, who was the mother of five children, three of whom were with him.
Despite extensive efforts, her body has not been recovered.
The jury concluded Lacomba carried out the killing in a 'calculated manner designed to avoid detection, to leave no trace.' By the time she vanished on 9 October 2018, their relationship was strained by 'tensions and problems,' and he chose to commit the act when she was looking to buy him out of their shared house, even though they had separated in 2014.
Prosecutors detailed how Lacomba killed her during a window where CCTV footage showed him driving his red Vauxhall Zafira at about 2:00 AM on 10 October 2018—a time believed to be when he dumped her body.
Detective Inspector Ivan Beasley stated: 'He knew in a short amount of time he would be left homeless and without day-to-day contact with his children and that is clearly something he couldn't live with so he made the decision to kill her.' It was also revealed that Lacomba stayed silent during nine hours of police questioning and disposed of two mobile phones by throwing them into a river.
He also claimed that a 1.66-meter shovel he purchased was a gift for his mother.
Sentencing is scheduled for a later date.
The case was supported by extensive CCTV surveillance, which placed Lacomba at the scene and during the disposal of the victim’s body, leading to his conviction.
Detectives suspected Lacomba early on, believing he had motive to 'dispose' of Sarah Wellgreen for his own benefit, as the investigation revealed he disposed of his mobile phone and acted suspiciously.
The police emphasized the wider impact, with Detective Beasley stating: 'There are children out there without a mother.
There is a wider family without their daughter and sister.
There are friends out there missing Sarah.' Friends and family continue the search for Sarah Wellgreen, whose disappearance has left a significant void.
The court heard how Lacomba stayed silent during police interrogations and tried to destroy evidence, including mobile phones, to hide his involvement.
Despite his denial, the evidence against him was compelling, culminating in his conviction for her murder.
