Seven in court over headless corpse case

Seven people appeared in court yesterday in connection with the death of a man whose headless corpse was found in a lake.

The decapitated body of 26-year-old Michael Gilbert was found in the privately-owned Blue Lagoon in Arlesey, Bedfordshire, in May.

Three brothers appeared before Luton magistrates yesterday charged with murder, familial homicide and perverting the course of justice. They are James Watt, 26, Richard Watt, 24, and Robert Watt, 19, all of Chertsey Close, Luton.

James was originally charged with murder and his brothers with perverting the course of justice but last month police added new charges.

They also charged other members of the men's family in connection with the killing. They also appeared before magistrates today.

Their father Antonio Watt, 70, of Chertsey Close, Luton, is charged with familial homicide and perverting the course of justice.

The trio's mother Jennifer Smith-Dennis, 58, of the same address, is also charged with familial homicide and two counts of perverting the course of justice.

Richard Watt's girlfriend Nichola Roberts, 21, of Burford Close, Luton, appeared yesterday charged with familial homicide and perverting the course of justice.

Natasha Oldfield, 29 - the girlfriend of James Watt - of Chertsey Close, Luton, is also charged with familial homicide and assisting an offender.

The three brothers were remanded in custody today, while their parents and the two girlfriends were granted conditional bail until a hearing at Luton Crown Court on Monday.

Previously in the investigation into Mr Gilbert's death, dubbed Operation Pinlock, police revealed the 26-year-old was killed sometime between January 21 and 22, although his body was not found until several months later. Known as the "Big Friendly Giant", Mr Gilbert's headless corpse was wrapped in packaging, including a white nylon "builder's bag", and was in a wheelbarrow also found at the scene.

His death brought the notorious Blue Lagoon back into the spotlight.

The beauty spot has claimed several lives over the years, including three children who died when the car they were in plunged into it in July 2001.