Screams heard before woman killed in house by Hyde Park

NEIGHBOURS of a woman who was stabbed to death in a Grade II listed property near Hyde Park say they heard two “high pitched screams” hours before her body was found by police.

The victim, who has not yet been named, was discovered by officers who forced their way into the £3million, Grade II listed house after being called by friends who were concerned about her welfare.

Police were first contacted by the woman’s friends on Sunday night. They found her body inside the property on Stanhope Place, Bayswater, at 8:30am on Monday morning.

An elderly neighbour described hearing two high pitched screams on Sunday night when police first received concern for welfare calls from friends of the dead woman.

The neighbour said: “I did hear very, very high-pitched screams on Sunday evening coming from that direction. A series of screams. I recall two – I’m very sensitive to sound. They were very unusual. There was no other sound other than the screams, then silence after.”

She said that police had kicked the door down before two forensics trucks appeared on Monday morning.

She added: “I’ve always been so paranoid living here, but nothing like this has ever happened before. Things have gotten worse in London recently. It’s becoming dangerous.”

No arrests have yet been made. Scotland Yard said it was working to trace and inform the woman’s next of kin and a post mortem examination would be held in due course.

Det Chief Insp Adam Clifton, from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, who is leading the investigation, said: “I understand this news will be concerning, and that local women especially may be worried. Our inquiries are in the very early stages and we are keeping an open mind as to the motive.”

Chief Supt Louise Puddefoot, lead for policing in Westminster, added: “My officers will do everything we can to support the investigation and they will be stationed in the area to speak to anyone who has any information or concerns they want to share with us.”