Murder accused told family he was looking after woman before changing story, court told
A man accused of killing a woman at first told her family he was looking after her before changing his story.
The badly burned body of Wolverhampton mother-of-one Jomaa Jerrare was found in a lay-by by officers investigating reports of a suspicious fire in Bridgnorth Road, near Perton, on August 9, 2021.
Clive O’Connor is accused of murdering the 52-year-old before dumping her body and setting it alight. She had not been seen for several weeks before the discovery.
Giving evidence in the witness box at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court, the victim's mother Sylvia Ricketts said she last saw her daughter on May 16 after she had been discharged from New Cross Hospital.
At times wiping away tears, she told the jury that up until then Miss Jerrare, an addict who lived a "couple of miles away", visited her regularly and that she gave her meals and money to buy drugs.
Mrs Ricketts said shortly after Miss Jerrare left hospital, O'Connor a family acquaintance, said he had seen her in a bad way and that he was looking after her. She said he told her "not to worry".
She told the court that at one stage he telephoned to ask for the phone number for Miss Jerrare's GP so he could contact the surgery on her behalf.
Mrs Ricketts said due to their concerns about Miss Jerrare's welfare she and another prosecution witness, Joyce Holt, went to her flat in Woden Road, Heath Town, on or about June 19, and let themselves in when she didn't answer the door.
However, there was no sign of her and they left a note asking her to get in touch.
Mrs Ricketts also told the court that on August 7 the defendant gave her and Miss Holt a lift to a concert in Wolverhampton. She said she was taken by surprise when she asked how her daughter was and O'Connor replied that he had not seen her.
"He didn't say any more. Well if he hadn't seen her, why didn't he let me know?" she told the court.
Mrs Ricketts said Miss Jerrare had a difficult upbringing as a result of their circumstances and that she herself had been a victim of domestic abuse. She said her daughter had attended university before moving to Spain where she lived for five years and that when she returned she had a drug addiction.
It is the prosecution's case that O'Connor killed Miss Jerrare and stored her body in a freezer purchased on July 5 before transporting it to the lay-by and setting it alight. Passing motorists saw the fire and alerted police.
O’Connor, 58, of Bridge Street in Bilston, denies murdering Miss Jerrare, but admits manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
The trial continues.