Former partner of missing mum ‘tried to scam reality TV show’
POLICE were scouring woodland yesterday in the hunt for a missing mother- of-five as further allegations emerged about a former partner with whom she had a ‘volatile’ relationship.
Sarah Wellgreen, 46, vanished from the four-bedroom home she shared with her ex-partner Ben Lacomba, 38, and their three youngest children almost three weeks ago.
The beautician was not reported missing by Mr Lacomba for two days.
Worried family members say it was out of character for the doting mother to simply leave and detectives are treating her disappearance as a potential murder.
Yesterday, as police searched woodland and a river near Miss Wellgreen’s home in New Ash Green, Kent, it was alleged Mr Lacomba tried to get cash from a TV programme to fund a custody battle with her.
It was reported that the Nerf gun enthusiast lied to barrister-turned-TV-star Robert Rinder on his show Judge Rinder in the hope of getting a payout.
Mr Lacomba’s former girlfriend Leanne Edwards claimed he ‘concocted’ a fake legal row, telling the programme in 2015 that Miss Edwards was a lodger who owed him £4,550 in rent.
In reality, Miss Edwards, 30, was his girlfriend, but she was persuaded to hide that fact from ITV bosses so he could claim damages, it was alleged.
Judge Rinder’s judgments on the show are not legally binding, so the ‘fines’ issued to losers in the mock court battles are actually paid for by ITV.
Miss Edwards said Mr Lacomba’s plan backfired when Judge Rinder sided with her and no fines or damages were apportioned.
The childminder from Dartford, Kent, told The Sun on Sunday: ‘He went out of his way to make money and it didn’t work. He was gutted because he needed that money to pay for a barrister in court.’
At the time of her disappearance, Miss Wellgreen had moved back in of Guildford in Surrey. Mr Lacomba was arrested and quizzed over her disappearance, but was freed on bail. He was unavailable for comment yesterday.