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Helen Bailey could be remembered with plaque in Broadstairs

The life of bestselling children’s author Helen Bailey could be commemorated with a blue plaque at her holiday home in Broadstairs.

The town’s mayor, Peter Shaw, has said the idea is a good one and will be discussed at a meeting later this month.

It follows the sentencing last week of Ms Bailey’s fiancé, Ian Stewart, to life in prison after a jury found him guilty of her murder.

Helen Bailey. Picture: swns.com
Helen Bailey. Picture: swns.com

Although the writer lived in Hertfordshire she spent some of her time at her holiday home in Serene Place.

On Thursday, a judge ruled that Stewart, 56, will spend at least 34 years in jail for her murder and will not be considered for release until he is 90 years old.

A jury last Wednesday had found him guilty of smothering Ms Bailey, 51, after drugging her and then dumping her body in a cesspit to get his hands on her £3.5 million fortune.

Stewart was absent at St Alban’s Crown Court as Judge Andrew Bright QC said Helen’s murder was planned “well in advance” and described him as a “real danger for women”.

After a seven-week trial, a jury took around five-and-a-half hours to find Stewart guilty of murder, fraud, preventing lawful burial and three counts of perverting the course of justice.

Judge Bright said: “You serve a real danger for women you form a relationship with.”

Brodstairs Mayor Peter Shaw
Brodstairs Mayor Peter Shaw

Judge Bright told the court that the degree of planning which went into Ms Bailey’s murder along with the deception of everyone involved were two aggravating features.

He said: “I sentence you to a minimum term of 34 years. I acknowledge you will be 90 years of age before you become eligible for parole, but I am not inclined to reduce the minimum term in light of your age.”

During the trial, the court heard Stewart fabricated a story that Ms Bailey had left a note saying she needed time and space and was heading to their holiday cottage in Broadstairs.

She was reported missing on April 15, and three months later her body was found on July 15 within the grounds of the £1.5m house she shared with Stewart in Royston, Herts.

Stewart’s sentences for fraud, preventing lawful burial and three counts of perverting the course of justice will run concurrently with the life sentence.

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