A businessman subjected his ex-girlfriend to a ter
A businessman subjected his ex-girlfriend to a terrifying night of violence because she had an abortion, the Old Bailey heard.
George Welsford, 53, tied petrified Nicola Montague up ‘like a dog’, strangled her, pointed a crossbow at her, and tried to gas her to death, the jury was told.
He put a belt round her neck and tightened it, threatened to set her on fire, and even showed her a shovel he had brought with him to bury her corpse, it is claimed.
When police arrested him, Welsford allegedly said: ‘I just flipped when she killed the baby.
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Welsford, who owns a pine-stripping firm, launched a savage attack on 28-year-old Miss Montague after luring her into his Ford Transit van, the court was told.
The couple, of Gomshall near Guildford, Surrey, had split in the summer of 1999 after three years together, but kept in touch because of a legal dispute over a horse.
A month later, Miss Montague discovered she was pregnant, but after a reconciliation with Welsford failed she decided to terminate the pregnancy in December last year.
Prosecutor Daffyd Enoch told the court: ‘When she told him of the termination, he was clearly very shocked and angry.
‘Welsford was unable to accept either the end of the relationship or the termination of the pregnancy.
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In January this year, Welsford initiated a meeting with Miss Montague and offered to sign the horse – called Bluey – over to her.
On January 25, they met in the village of Cranleigh, and went for a drive in Welsford’s van to discuss legal arrangements for the handover of the animal.
But his mood quickly changed, the jury heard.
Mr Enoch said: ‘He asked Miss Montague if she wanted to die, and she told him she did not – she said she liked being alive, and he said it was rather selfish of her in the circumstances.
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After a while, Miss Montague got in the back of the vehicle because she was worried that her mother – who did not approve of her seeing Welsford – would spot them as they drove round the area.
Mr Enoch said: ‘They soon came to an abrupt halt, and matters took a truly sinister turn.
‘From underneath the front seat, Welsford suddenly produced a loaded crossbow.
He pointed it at Miss Montague, saying ”I have got a present for you”.
‘She tried to get out, but he went round to the back of the van, got in, and pointed the crossbow at her.
She screamed as a car went past.
‘She grappled with him, and the arrow in the crossbow which was ready to fire fell out.
She was trying to get at her mobile phone, and he grabbed it and threw it out of reach.
‘He then sat astride her and had her pinned to the floor of the van.
He was very angry and very upset.
‘He told her he was going to kill her and her mother, and she believed him.
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The jury then heard how Welsford grabbed hold of a belt in the van, wrapped it round her neck, and tried to throttle her.
Miss Montague told Welsford she was sorry, but he allegedly screamed back: ‘It’s too late for sorry.
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Mr Enoch said: ‘Welsford pulled the belt so tight it felt as if her head was being separated from her body, and at that point she lost consciousness.
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When Miss Montague came round, Welsford tied her up with nylon cord and again choked her until she passed out, it is claimed.
Again, she woke up to find Welsford still there.
He allegedly told her he thought she was dead, and showed her a shovel he intended to use to bury her.
Mr Enoch said Welsford also waved a red fuel can at terrified Miss Montague, telling her: ‘I could always pour petrol on you and set you on fire.
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Welsford then continued to drive around Surrey throughout the night, before stopping at his home to bundle Miss Montague into a Ford Sierra and get some hosepipe.
He then allegedly drove to a deserted car park in Leith Hill where he attached the pipe to the exhaust and tried to gas both himself and Miss Montague.
When the suicide attempt failed because the hose started to melt, Welsford drove to his workshop in Ockley.
But when they arrived, Miss Montague made a daring dash from freedom and managed to alert some stablehands at a farm nearby.
They called the police, and Miss Montague was taken to East Surrey Hospital by ambulance.
Doctors later found she had injuries consistent with being asphyxiated, and had five times the normal level of carbon monoxide in her blood.
In the meantime, Welsford had allegedly called police, telling an operator: ‘I want to give myself up because I attacked my girlfriend yesterday.
‘I went doolally over the baby and all that lot.
I went a bit.
.
.
something snapped in me yesterday.
‘I didn’t want it to happen, I don’t know why I did it.
My brain just went the opposite way.
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The jury was told that Welsford later confided to a policeman pal: ‘I am in trouble – I tried to kill Nicky.
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And when he was arrested, he allegedly said: ‘I just flipped when she killed the baby.
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Welsford, of Tower Hill, Gomshall, Surrey, denies attempted murder and kidnapping.
The trial continues.
ends
