Stephen Port: Alleged Barking serial killer admitted moving dead body
Stephen Port is accused of murder. Picture: Elizabeth Cook/PA Wire - Credit: PA
Alleged serial killer Stephen Port admitted moving the body of one of his alleged victims, a court heard today.
The 41-year-old, who is accused of murdering four men over 15 months, was jailed for eight months for perverting the course of justice after lying to police about the circumstances of the death of his first alleged victim, Anthony Walgate.
In a 999 call played to jurors, he was heard telling the operator that he had found someone collapsed from a seizure “or just drunk” outside his home in Cooke Street, Barking in the early hours of July 19, 2014.
Mr Port hung up when he was asked to leave a contact number but his details were traced.
When he was arrested for misleading investigators, he initially denied knowing Mr Waldgate although he had stayed at his flat the previous night.
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Mr Port later admitted that he moved the body outside his flat before alerting the authorities because he thought “he’s in my bed, they are going to think I did this to him”, the court heard.
Prosecutor Jonathan Rees QC discussed how Gabriel Kovari, Mr Port’s second alleged murder victim, had to reassure a friend when they moved in together.
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He was asked: “Are you sure he’s safe? There are some crazy people out there lol. Sorry I don’t want to sound like your mum,” the court heard.
A former neighbour of Mr Port also told jurors that the chef was obsessed with Transformers.
Ryan Edwards said he had a “love bordering on obsession” and would buy new figures from Toys R Us.
In the days after Mr Kovari was found dead, Mr Port allegedly told Mr Edwards that Mr Kovari had simply moved out of his flat, before later saying that he had died in Spain.
He also asked Mr Edwards not to mention anything about it on Facebook, claimed Mr Edwards, who said he was a “bit disturbed” by the request.
Mr Port denies 29 offences against a total of 12 men - including four murders, seven rapes, four sex assaults and administering a substance with intent.
The trial continues.
