Police describe South Ham double murder scene

PC Aaron Sawyer was the first officer to arrive at the home of Michelle and Geoffrey Hibbert on Buckland Avenue in the early hours of June 20, 2021.

His 2.06am arrival was closely followed by his Whitchurch colleague PC John Richards and Basingstoke officer PC Hope Bonner.

Giving evidence on the second day of the trial of Stanley Elliott, who is charged with the murder of the couple, PC Sawyer recalled the moments after the alleged killing, in which the house was “dark and silent”. 

He told Winchester Crown Court this afternoon (Tuesday, February 8): “It didn’t feel right. Someone has been stabbed, I am expecting commotion, I am expecting light on, I am expecting to see people. And the house is in complete darkness. It looks like a nice address.”

PC Bonner added: “It was completely dark, we checked that we were at the right address because it was so silent.”

READ MORE: Couple stabbed multiple times in ‘savage’ murder by 'someone they trusted'

Failing to gain access through the front door, the officers headed round the side of the property, to a garage door which was open.

Inside, in a doorway leading to the main house, they found Mr Hibbert. 

“He is dead, there is no question in my mind,” recalled PC Sawyer. “He’s got that look of death.We deal with traumatic injuries all of the time. Personally, there were no life saving opportunities.”

However, PC Bonner was sent to collect a defibrillator from the police vehicle and instructed by paramedics to attempt CPR. PC Bonner was emotional as she told the jury of her unsuccessful attempts to save Mr Hibbert’s life. 

“The blood was everywhere, I tried for about half a minute and the ambulance crew told me to stop,” she said. 

Meanwhile, PCs Sawyer and Richards had proceeded through the property.

“On the kitchen floor, it was sticky, tacky underfoot. I know now that that was blood,” said PC Sawyer. 

The officers spoke in “blunt and loud” voices, making their presence known. 

PC Richards went into the bedroom and, on discovering Mrs Hibbert’s body, shouted through “there’s another”. Again, the officers described Mrs Hibbert as “looking dead”. 

As Taser-trained officers, both PC Sawyer and PC Richards initially produced their weapons, with PC Richards opting to switch to a pepper spray later.  

Noticing only one closed door, PC Sawyer forcefully opened it, expecting to find the offender.

Instead, he discovered Mr and Mrs Hibbert’s newly-orphaned toddler son. 

“[I thought the attacker] must still be there, as I got to the address so quickly,” he said.

“I see a baby, who sat bolt upright, just woken up, and starts crying.

“It takes me a few seconds to register what had just happened so I put my Taser away and tried to calm him down, using a softer voice.” 

PC Sawyer wrapped the young boy in his blankets and carried him out of the property, handing him to another officer. 

READ MORE: Heartbreaking 999 call of mother pleading with killer

The officers then proceeded to clear the rest of the property, but no one else was found in the property. 

As previously reported, Mr and Mrs Hibbert died of multiple stab wounds following an 'inexplicable and savage' attack at their semi-detached bungalow, with their young son alseep in a nearby room.

Sarah Jones QC, prosecuting, with the assistance of Detective Constable Chris Hudson, took the jury through the CCTV evidence which tracks the movements of the couple on the evening of June 19 to 20. 

They had gone to spend the evening in Reading, having left their son in the care of their “friend”, Elliott, who is also seen arriving at the property on nearby private CCTV shortly before 8pm. 

In cross examination, Chris Henley QC, defending, asked DC Hudson whether any clothes were seized from Elliott’s home on Kiln Road, Sherborne St John, at the time of his arrest. He said they weren't, as the Crime Scene Investigators were instructed to seize only items with blood. 

However, Mr Henley added that photographs of the defendant’s home showed grey tracksuit bottoms, brown boots and a red backpack similar to the items worn by Elliott on the CCTV, all within his flat and unstained. 

“Anyone who had been close up to Geoffrey Hibbert and involved in the attack would be covered in a considerable amount of [his] blood,” he said.

Elliott, 53, denies two counts of murder. The trial continues.

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