Camden News: Chappelow trial | Reopens at Old Bailey | Wang Yam | accused

Publications by New Journal Enterprises

Home

Archive

Competition

Camden News - DAN CARRIER
Published: 23 October 2008

Chappelow trial reopens at Old Bailey

THE man accused of murdering reclusive Hampstead pensioner Allan Chappelow faced prosecutors at the Old Bailey this week.
Wang Yam, 47, sat impassively as jurors were told how he allegedly killed the 86-year-old and tried to steal thousands of pounds from his bank account.
Mr Yam, of Denning Road, Hampstead, denies murdering Mr Chappelow in the summer of 2006 at the victim’s tumbledown Downshire Hill address.
In the opening two days, the jury were told they will be shown footage – shot by the police – of the inside in which Mr Chappelow’s body was discovered.
QC Mark Ellison told the court yesterday (Wednesday) that the accused had made a series of phone calls to banks that held accounts in Mr Chappelow’s name in an attempt to empty them of thousands of pounds.
He said Mr Yam had details such as account numbers and balance information that could only have been garnered through breaking into the pensioner’s home and stealing his post.
Yam stole four cheques worth £15,000 and tried to get them paid into a friend’s account, the court was told.
Mr Ellison said that the defendant had posed as Mr Chappelow in an attempt to pay them into the account of a friend.
He added: “[Mr Yam] told the bank that they were a loan to a Chinese doctor, who practised traditional medicine to help pay for her son’s university education.”
Mr Ellison told the jury that Yam had money worries and was facing eviction from his Hampstead home – just streets away from where the deceased lived – for non payment of rent.
The court also heard how Mr Chappelow had returned home from a trip to the United States to find his front door broken and post stolen shortly before his death.
The trial continues.

Comment on this article.
(You must supply your full name and email address for your comment to be published)

Name:

Email:

Comment: