London, Oct 16 (IANS) A London court has heard the last words of British student Hannah Foster, raped and murdered in March 2003, during the course of the trial of the alleged murderer, India-born Maninder Pal Singh Kohli.
Hannah's parents, Hilary, 51, and Trevor, 57, and her sister, Sarah, 20, left the public gallery of the Winchester Crown court while the tape was played Wednesday. Accused Kohli listened to the recording of the two voices on headphones, according to The Guardian.
Hannah's conversation with the person who kidnapped her as she was walking to her home in Southampton was recorded when she secretly called the emergency services number 999.
The high school A-level student perhaps thought someone answering the phone would hear their conversation and try to rescue her. Unfortunately for her, the emergency service has a system which disconnects unanswered calls. Her call was disconnected after 50 seconds, but her conversation with the kidnapper during that time went on record.
During the 999 call, Hannah answers a man's questions, apparently from a moving vehicle.
A man can be heard asking the student: "You belong this country?"
"Yeah," responded Hannah. "England," said the male voice. "Yeah I'm English. Yeah. My name [...] My name is Sarah," she answered. The court earlier heard that Sarah is the name of Hannah's sister.
Here are excerpts of the subsequent conversation:
Male voice: Sarah.
Hannah: Yeah.
Male voice: I want (there is then inaudible speech which is disputed by the prosecution and defence).
Hannah: 15.
Male voice: 15.
Hannah: That's my, my road ... that was where I live.
Male voice: Held (unclear) your head down please.
Hannah: Sorry ... no.
Male voice: Where you live? Which number you live?
Hannah: Huh ... listen ... anything ...
Helen Wilkinson, Hannah's childhood friend, earlier told the jury that she had waved to Hannah moments before she was abducted on March 14, 2003. They had drinks in the Portswood area of Southampton and then walked back to a bus stop so that Wilkinson could catch her bus home.
The court was shown CCTV footage of the two walking past a bank, captured at 10.43 p.m. As Wilkinson's bus arrived, Hannah started walking towards her home. Wilkinson told the court: "She was walking down Highfield Lane, and she turned and waved. I waved."
It was the last time Hannah was seen alive. Her body was found in the city's outskirts three days later.
Kohli, 40, who had escaped to India immediately after the murder, was extradited to Britain last year. He went on trial at the Winchester Crown Court Tuesday but denies all charges.
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