Sightings of Callum Wheeler in the local area
Ms Morgan has said Callum Wheeler was spotted in the area months prior to Julia's death and suspicions were raised about what he was doing.
Ms Morgan says, at the time of the attack Wheeler lived with his father in Aylesham. He had not been employed for months and had been seen by a number of witnesses during the daytime walking around the local area.
She told the court:
Prior to events of April 27 prosecution alleges defendant had been to area of Ackholt Wood where Julia was murdered. It was an area that was very familiar to him.
He would have known very well there were dog walkers in the area. On one of the occasions he was in the wood, he saw and was seen by Julia herself.
On Sept 21 2020 there was an indication of sightings by a witness called Gavin Tucker. He is a gamekeeper for the farm that includes Ackholt Wood.
Between 3-5pm that afternoon he saw a man that was the defendant walking across a field towards Ackholt Wood rather than walking on the established footpath.
Mr Tucker asked male where he was going, male told him to mind his own business before walking into wood. A short while later, Mr Tucker saw the defendant again and once again told him there was no footpath.
Mr Tucker asked male where he was going, male said I want a train station. Mr Tucker gave instructions but was concerned about his actions.
He contacted a colleague, Mr Hawker, to make sure male left the area. Mr Tucker gave a description of the male and identified the defendant Callum Wheeler.
Mr Hawker drove along Snowdown Roadd looking for the male and stopped his vehicle. He looked across the fields and saw the male walking towards the houses at The Crescent where Julia lived.
Mr Hawker was with wife and they took photos of the male, who was carrying a Wilko plastic bag. Photos were given to police after what happened to Julia.
These show that the defendant had been in the vicinity of the place Julia was killed and also her home address seven months prior to the attack.
Wheeler, 22, was found guilty after a week-long trial at Canterbury Crown Court
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