Man, 34, is found guilty of murder of mother-of-three, 38, found in purple suitcase after police find confession letter in house where he killed her
- Matthew Waddell killed his partner Sarah Albone at her home in Befordshire
- He then sent text messages pretending to be her and used her bank cards
A man who hid his partner’s body in a purple suitcase in a wheelie bin was today found guilty of her murder – after police found a confession note.
Matthew Waddell, 35, launched a ‘frenzied and horrific attack’ on mother-of-three Sarah Albone – with whom he had been in a ‘toxic’ relationship – at her home in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire.
The remains of the 38-year-old were found in a taped up bin at her house in Winston Crescent on February 25 this year – three months after she was last seen.
Over that time Waddell told her family and friends she was receiving treatment at a hospital in London and could not be contacted.
He sent text messages from her mobile phone pretending to be her, used her bank card and sold her belongings, Luton Crown Court heard.
Matthew Waddell, 35, launched a ‘frenzied and horrific attack’ on mother-of-three Sarah Albone, 38 (pictured)
Waddell hid his partner’s body in a purple suitcase in a wheelie bin and was today found guilty of her murder
In a letter found in the house, Waddell wrote: ‘I stamped on your head so many times I have caved your head literally, but you were still breathing. I grabbed a towel and wrapped it around your head. There was blood everywhere.’
He went on: ‘I felt nothing.’
READ MORE: Body of Biggleswade mother, 38, was found in purple suitcase dumped in her wheelie bin three months after she went missing, court hears
A post-mortem examination found a ‘frenzied and horrific attack had been carried out, resulting in ‘catastrophic injuries’.
It found the cause of death to be airway obstruction caused by catastrophic injuries to her head, and she had broken ribs and injuries to her body.
Sarah Albone, who had multiple sclerosis, was attacked, possibly while getting in or out of bed. It included stamping, kicking, punching and possible use of a weapon.
Last Christmas Eve, with her body just feet away in the wheelie bin, Waddell sent a video message to a friend while watching TV. He said: ‘This is what Christmas is all about – a big glass of wine and James May talking about f***ing different types of cheese.’
Waddell denied murdering Ms Albone at her home in Winston Crescent, Biggleswade between November 28 last year and February 26, but was convicted by the jury.
Prosecutor Martin Mulgrew said Scenes of Crime Officers found the purple suitcase wrapping in industrial cling film under the remains of a carpet in the bin. She was found in her pyjamas in the foetal position.
Ms Albone was reported missing by her family on February 21 after she had not been seen since before Christmas
Her remains were discovered after police searched her home and found an outdoor bin had been taped shut
In the house, there was evidence that attempts had been made to clean the scene, with carpet and gloves found in the bin along with her body, the court heard.
A large amount of blood had soaked through the carpet and onto the bedroom floorboards. Blood splatter was on the wall near the double socket and radiator.
Mr Mulgrew said that after her murder Waddell set out in ‘a sophisticated manner’ to lay false information about Sarah’s whereabouts.
He said: ‘To throw family, friends and the police off the scent he sent text messages from her phone pretending to be her. He pretended she was in a hospital in London and did not want to see anyone.
‘He withdrew cash from her account and began selling her belongings on line.’
The couple had first met in November 2020. Because Sarah Albone had Multiple Sclerosis and a neurological disorder, she became dependent on him.
But Mr Mulgrew said the relationship was not healthy. In January 2021 she ended it because she felt he was emotionally controlling.
However in April that year the relationship resumed. She suffered a stroke in August and in September she ended the relationship again, but Waddell would return repeatedly.
She called police and he was arrested for harassment. He was released on police bail with a condition not to contact her. He ignored it and visited her home.
‘He had developed an obsession and could not accept she would not be part of his life,’ said the prosecutor.
In December 2021 she reported him for assault. In a statement she catalogued his controlling and aggressive behaviour towards her. She complained he watched pornography and contacted other women.
Her step-sister Corinne Foster described the relationship as ‘ toxic.’ She told the police she had not been in contact with Sarah since November 24, although they would talk regularly before then.
Sarah Albone, who had multiple sclerosis, was attacked, possibly while getting in or out of bed
Waddell then sent text messages pretending to be her and wrote a confession note
In February Waddell, pretending to be Sarah, replied to Corinne’s anxious text messages saying: ‘I am ok. I am in hospital in London. I am home in the beginning of March.’
Asked why ‘Sarah’ had not told her, he replied: ‘Sorry babe. A big part is my mental health. They are putting a plan in for me.’
Mr Mulgrew said: ‘This peaked Corinne Foster’s suspicion. It was because of the way the texts were written. Sarah Albone would never have called her babe. The tone and the grammar did not match.’
When she recorded a phone conversation with Waddell he told her that Sarah could only text from the hospital because there was something wrong with her phone.
He told her: ‘It has been really surreal – I can’t go along every day without her. It has been hard. She is in the best place possible. They are putting a plan in place for her mental health treatment outside the hospital.’
In the witness box Waddell said he had snapped after suffering ‘years of abuse’ from 5 foot 1 tall Sarah, who had multiple sclerosis.
He told the jury: ‘It was like a curtain came down. It is a feeling like you would not believe. You literally go numb. You stop feeling.’
Judge Michael Simon remanded Waddell in custody for sentencing on Thursday.
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