What Lois Did

24 February 1997
Siôn Jenkins was arrested and taken to Hastings police station for questioning. When he was released he was refused entry to the house belonging to Peter Gaimster where the family had been staying. Lois Jenkins later commented “Obviously this couldn’t be allowed. Why was he being released?” He had nowhere to go. He was taken in by a colleague for the night. The police said he could not remain in Hastings, and he went to his parents’ home in Wales.
25 February 1997
Lois Jenkins spent two hours with police officers. The police decided to tell her about the spots of blood found on her husband’s clothing, and convinced her that he must be the murderer.The police pocket book entry reads “Told them to feed into Mum.”
20 March 1997
Lois Jenkins was present at a meeting at which Annie, then 12, and Lottie, then 10, were told by police that their father had been arrested following police tests on his clothing, that he had falsified his CV, and that he had been violent to them. In breach of Social Services procedure, the family’s social worker was not present at the meeting. The judgement on the first appeal states “Mrs Jenkins agreed this approach should be adopted. She had already spoken to Lottie about the forensics evidence, and she was aware that blood had been found on her father’s clothing. ”
3 Mar 1997
Lois Jenkins told the police that Annie had volunteered more information. Peter Gaimster, a neighbour, told the police that on 25 Feb (a week previously) Annie had changed her account of events on the day of the murder.
4 Mar 1997
Lois Jenkins gave further information to the police about Annie’s version of events.
7 Mar 1997
Lois Jenkins made a statement to the police alleging violence by Siôn Jenkins.
20 Mar 1997
Police officers spoke to all four daughters in the presence of Lois Jenkins, with her agreement. The family’s social worker Ian Vinall, was not present. They told the girls that:
  • there was strong evidence their father had murdered Billie-Jo
  • their father had lied about his qualifications to get his present job
  • their father was violent to their mother and to them
April 1997
Siôn Jenkins was forbidden any involvement with Billie-Jo’s funeral. He was not even allowed to send flowers.
17 Jul 1997
Lois Jenkins went to the police with yet more details of a conversation with Annie about events of 15 Feb.
Sept 1997
Lois Jenkins informed Siôn Jenkins that she was filing for a judicial separation.
27 Nov 1997
Lois Jenkins returned to the police after Siôn Jenkins’ committal heaing to report further discussions with Annie about events on 15 Feb.
22 Dec 1997
Lois Jenkins had a conversation with a police officer about Lottie’s recollections of 15 Feb.
AprilóJuly 1998
Lois Jenkins did not give evidence at Siôn Jenkins’ first trial.
September 1998
Lois Jenkins angrily confronted someone who had visited Siôn Jenkins at the start of his life sentence in Wakefield. Accompanied by another person, she spent some time in hostile remonstration which amounted to intimidation.
July 1999
Lois Jenkins blocked the screening of a *Trial and Error* programme about the case ahead of the first appeal. The programme was eventually shown two months later.
October 1999

Lois Jenkins contacted the website which had been launched six months earlier. Her message:

From: Lemonsqueezer@aol.com

Sent: 09 October 1999 09: 44: 33

To: cfjpost@hotmail.com

Subject: Request for meeting.

I believe the time has come for me to clarify a few points with you. I am not prepared to use the media in any shape or form to address anything concerning this case, but the inaccuracies and untruths which are being constantly proclaimed by both yourselves as an organisation and a very small number of other individuals are becoming offensive. I am beginning to realise that I have a responsibility to inform those people who make it their business to use the media of the true facts in an attempt to avoid ill-informed reporting.

I trust that a face to face meeting will serve to breach the secrecy and open aforum for a more realistic and less naive approach as the date of the Appeal grows nearer.

Next day she wrote a lengthy message which included this warning:

From: Lemonsqueezer@aol.com

Sent: 12 October 1999 11: 33: 37

To: cfjpost@hotmail.com

Subject: Re: Request for meeting.

I will no longer tolerate hearsay being pedalled (sic) as if it were fact. I will continue to monitor your output, and will expect you from now on to hold to your commitment only to discuss the facts of the case. It is not easy to live with false statements being issued and half-truths being proclaimed which are designed to attempt to influence public opinion and legal proceeedings.

December 1999
Lois Jenkins did not give evidence at Siôn Jenkins’ first appeal.
January 2000

Lois Jenkins went to the home of someone who attended the appeal and confronted them for appearing to support Siôn.

She contacted the website again. Inexplicably, she addressed her message to Sheila Bowler, an earlier victim of a miscariage of justice by Sussex police, supposing her to be part of the support group. It read:

From: Lemonsqueezer@aol.com

Sent: 04 January 2000 13: 21: 40

To: cfjpost@hotmail.com

Subject: request for meeting.

Sheila Bowler, if it is your intention to continue with this group now that the Appeal is over I am sure that, in your pursuit of a fair and even-handed approach, you would appreciate a discussion with me. I can confirm that you continue to publsih many inaccuracies, particularly subtle references to myself, and I feel certain you would like to publish fair and accurate information.

As always I maintain my desire not to have to speak to the media. There is however, a limit to how many inaccuracies one can tolerate about oneself.For this reason I would appreciate it if you would respond regarding my request for a meeting before the 10th January when I will, at last, be speaking to a journalist about, among other things, your organisation. Thank you for your time. Lois Jenkins

Also early in 2000 she made a formal complaint to the Broadcasting Services Commission about the ‘Trial and Error’ programme. It was not upheld.

In the same year she contacted the psychology department at Wakefield prison and, quite inappropriately, had a conversation about her former husband with one of the psychologists there. Siôn Jenkins lodged a complaint that this had happened in breach of regulations and ethics. His complaint mysteriously ‘disappeared’.

25 April 2000
Lois Jenkins emailed the website to complain about a piece written by Bob Woffinden in *The Times*
7 and 9 July 2000
Lois Jenkins again emailed to complain about an article about the case in the Sunday Telegraph.
22 May 2001

At the time when the CCRC started to review the case, and a second appeal became a possibility, Lois Jenkins sent the following email:

From: Lemonsqueezer@aol.com

Sent: 22 May 2001 13: 13: 01

To: cfjpost@hotmail.com

Subject: Siôn Jenkins qualifications and time at William Parker.

I find it profoundly disturbing that you continue to belittle the extent and nature of the deceit and lies of Siôn Jenkins. I am not sure whether you are aware of the extent and absurdity of many of his false claimsI have spoken to Siôn’s father about the concerns I have of the effect of your attempts to belittle grave wrongs I trust that one day this will stop Please do not maintain illusions about the level or extent of untruth surrounding the qualifications and experience of Siôn Jenkins based on the lttle bits of information in the public domain. Thank you, Lois Jenkins.

July 2002
Lois Jenkins moved to Tasmania with her partner, daughters and baby son.
February 2003
Lois Jenkins published an article in the Sunday Times attacking SiÙn Jenkins and criticising the CCRC which was due to issue the outcome of its review.
June 2004
Lois Jenkins flew back from Tasmania to give evidence for the prosecution at the second appeal hearing.
June 2005
Lois Jenkins gave video evidence for the prosecution in the first retrial.
November 2005
Lois Jenkins flew back from Tasmania to give evidence for the prosecution in the second retrial.
February 2006
Lois Jenkins published a savagely critical two-part article in the Mail on Sunday , trying to undermine the acquittal and foster ongoing suspicion in spite of the judge’s ruling.
June 2008
Lois Jenkins made a formal complaint to the BBC about comments made by her former husband in radio interview.