Croydon woman’s body hacked up with power tools and dumped in park, court heard

Police are searching for the missing torso of a woman whose body was allegedly cut up with power tools and dumped in a south London park, a court heard.

Gemma Watts, 48, and Steven Sansom, 44, are accused of murdering Sarah Mayhew, 38, on private property on March 8.

Her remains are said to have then been cut up and dumped in Rowdown Fields in New Addington, south London.

Prosecutor Tom Little KC told the Old Bailey on Thursday that since police were first called to the park last Tuesday morning to investigate the human remains, parts of Ms Mayhew’s body have been identified but some are still missing.

“The body of the deceased was definitely cut into several parts using power tools,” he said.

“There is an ongoing investigation into the whereabouts of the entire body of the deceased.”

The court heard that Ms Mayhew’s torso is still missing.

The police were first alerted when a dog came across a human bone.

The arms, legs and a head were later located nearby in the park, with DNA tests confirming they belonged to Mrs Mayhew.

Watts and Sansom were charged with murder and preventing the lawful and decent burial of Mrs Mayhew’s body.

Watts, of Featherbed Lane in New Addington, appeared via videolink from HMP Bronzefield for a preliminary hearing before Judge Philip Katz KC.

The court heard that both she and Sansom were allegedly present at the time of the murder.

She was remanded in custody pending a plea hearing on June 27. A four-week provisional trial has been set for February 17 next year.

Sansom, of Burnell Road, Sutton, south-west London, also appeared at the same court later on Thursday.

He was also remanded in custody. No applications were submitted on Thursday.