Inside British Airways killer's wedding to victim as video emerges of big day
Chilling footage of a British Airways pilot wife-killer has emerged showing him giving a wedding speech and cutting the cake with his wife and future victim.
Robert Brown bludgeoned his spouse Joanna to death at their home in October 2010 before being jailed for 26 years. The couple tied the knot in 1999, with their big day taking place in wealthy Ascot. Home video released as part of The British Airways Killer, an ITV documentary due to air tonight, shows him claiming "I can't help being choosy" and "you have to go for what's perfect" during his speech.
The camcorder tapes also captured the moment the newly weds pose for pictures at the venue and Joanna's dad toasts his son-in-law as a "very lucky man". Brown recently launched legal action after Justice Secretary Alex Chalk blocked his automatic early release. In his speech, Joanna's father Chris Simpson heaped praise on would-be-killer, saying: "I think Rob you're a very lucky man. I also think Joanna's a very lucky girl because I don't know Rob terribly well, but my impression of him is that he's clever, honest, passionate, loving and a really nice person."
This was followed by a speech by Brown, who said: "I have to sort of thank my mum and father. I'm sure you never thought you'd see the day when I'd get married, but I can't help being choosy. You have to go for what's perfect."
Footage from the wedding of BA Captain Robert Brown and Joanna Simpson in February 1999The documentary features interviews with Joanna's mum Diana Parkes and friend Hetti Barkworth-Nanton, who talk about the moment they realised Brown was not all he seemed. Ms Barkworth-Nanton claims Joanna told her Brown had held a knife to her chest during her relationship.
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She said: "She [Joanna] said to me, and I've heard it from so many victims subsequently, that 'His eyes went dark, almost black, cold, dark, black eyes,' And he said, 'I'm going to do it'. So she was saying, you know, 'What will happen to the children?' He didn't care about what would happen to the children."
Brown was jailed for 26 years (PA)
Joanna was bludgeoned to death by her husband (PA)After Joanna told Brown she wanted to end their marriage, Ms Barkworth-Nanton says she believed he would kill her. She said: "She genuinely believed that he was going to kill her, she was of no doubt whatsoever."
The morning after Halloween in 2010, Brown called police to report a domestic issue between him and the missing mum-of-two. The documentary shows a clip from his subsequent police interview in which he would only answer "no comment". Eventually, he confessed to the murder and revealed he had hidden the body in Windsor Great Park.
Ms Parkes says in the documentary she realised something was wrong when a friend of the family called her. She said: "A friend rang and said, 'Have you spoken to Jo this morning?' And I said no, and he said, 'I've had a worrying call...' I was told there's police tape around the house, and I just said, 'He's killed her.' I just said that straight away, 'He's killed her.'"
Police found Joanna's body five days after her death (PA)Brown later admitted to manslaughter and was cleared of murder after claiming he was suffering adjustment disorder due to the divorce. He was eligible for automatic release after half of his 26-year jail term, but this was blocked by Mr Chalk. Lawyers from the Ministry of Justice said the minister had referred the case to the Parole Board.
The High Court heard this was due to fears Brown could commit murder, manslaughter or make threats to kill. Lawyer Iain Steele, for the Justice Secretary, told the Daily Mail: "The Secretary of State can decide not to release a prisoner on licence if he has reasons to believe he will be dangerous if released." He added: "His [Brown's] risk is not manageable … We are dealing with a very dangerous individual." A ruling is expected later this year.
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