Train death victim ‘stabbed nine times’
A MAN accused of killing a father who was stabbed nine times said he was “innocent until proven guilty” as he appeared in court.
Darren Shane Pencille, 35, is charged with the murder of Lee Pomeroy, 51, and possessing an offensive weapon.
He is accused of launching the attack after the victim allegedly followed him into a neighbouring carriage on a train following an argument.
A court heard Mr Pomeroy, who lived in Guildford and owned an IT firm, suffered nine stab wounds when he was knifed to death.
Pencille is said to have left the Londonbound train at Clandon and fled over a fence to make his getaway, discarding his blood-stained hat and jacket. The knife has not been found.
His partner, mother-of-one Chelsea Mitchell, 27, is charged with assisting an offender after allegedly picking Pencille up from the station in her car.
She is accused of helping Pencille to leave the scene, discard his clothing and change his appearance, including by buying razor blades.
A manhunt led detectives to a flat in Farnham on Saturday morning and they made two arrests. Pencille appeared in the dock at Staines Magistrates’ Court yesterday morning wearing glasses and a prisonissue grey tracksuit.
He stood in the dock to confirm his name, date of birth and that he was British, telling the court he had no address during a hearing lasting just over two minutes.
Hunched double so he could not be seen, Pencille then addressed magistrates from his seat, telling them: “Innocent until proven guilty.”
Turning to the public gallery, which was packed with journalists, he said: “The people are making me paranoid... They look like they are filming, recording me for no reason.” He added: “I’m paranoid. I’m hearing voices.”
Pencille did not enter pleas and chairman of the bench Helen Mattey remanded him in custody.
His partner, Mitchell, appeared in the same court separately, charged with assisting an offender.
She spoke only to confirm her name, date of birth, that she lives in Willbury Road, in Farnham, and that she is British.
Mitchell indicated a not guilty plea and was remanded in custody.
The couple again appeared at Guildford Crown Court yesterday afternoon.
Mitchell blew a kiss to people in the public gallery as she left the dock following a brief hearing.
Pencille, this time appearing without glasses, nodded to confirm his identity, then stood quietly as he was addressed by the judge.
Judge Robert Fraser remanded the pair in custody to appear by prison video-link at the same court on February 7.
Mr Pomeroy, who would have celebrated his 52nd birthday on Saturday, boarded the 12.58pm train service between Guildford and London Waterloo at London Road station on Friday afternoon.