Gemma Watts, 48, of Holmbury Grove, Forestdale in Croydon, and Steven Samson, 44, of Burnell Road in Sutton, have made their court appearance at Bromley Magistrates’ Court, facing charges related to the murder of 38-year-old Sarah Mayhew.
The defendants appeared in court on Tuesday afternoon (April 9) to answer charges of murdering Mayhew and preventing the lawful burial of her body in New Addington. Watts, previously misidentified as Gemma Saundercock by the Met Police, displayed a black eye during the proceedings, alongside Samson, who attended via a video link from Lewisham Police Station. Both affirmed their identities but spoke only to confirm their identities at the outset of the hearing.
In addition to the murder charges, Samson faces three counts of making indecent images of a child, allegedly linked to the other charges, according to prosecutor Jessica Kang. Kang noted, “The nature of the images does make them linked to this offending. The downloads of the phone were done at the same time.” District Judge Roy Brown acknowledged the connection between the charges and decided to proceed on that basis.
The case has been referred to the Old Bailey for a pre-trial preparation hearing on Thursday, April 11, where both defendants are expected to enter their pleas. Both Watts and Samson will remain in custody until then.
These developments follow a murder probe initiated by the Met Police after receiving reports of human remains discovered on Rowdown Fields in New Addington. Sarah Mayhew’s family has been informed of the charges, and they are receiving support during this challenging period.
Commander Andy Brittain, responsible for policing in Croydon, expressed gratitude for the diligence of the detectives and officers involved in the investigation, praising the local community for their support. He extended condolences to Sarah’s family and assured continued support throughout the ongoing investigation.
Individuals with information pertinent to the case are urged to contact the police at 101, quoting reference 1656/02Apr, if they have not already done so.
