Jayesh Gobar convicted of lover's drug money murder

A man has been convicted of murdering his lover at her Sussex home as he tried to steal cash for his drug habit.

Jayesh Gobar, of Crawley, had denied killing Nelly Myers, 58, last December, but was convicted at Hove Crown Court.

Jurors heard Mrs Myers, a British Airways host, had craved company but baggage handler Gobar, 36, seemed "only interested in her money".

Judge Christine Laing adjourned the case to Wednesday for sentencing but told Gobar he faced a life term.

Prosecuting, Richard Hearnden said: "Mrs Myers fell in love with Mr Gobar, there is no other way of putting this, she was totally obsessed with him and was devoted to him."

He said the couple had an irregular and turbulent but often passionate acquaintance, adding: "She was always giving him cash and he was using that cash for drugs."

The court heard that Mrs Myers, who had worked at Gatwick Airport, was found partially-dressed in the hallway of her home in Rotherfield on 18 December 2019, with severe head injuries.

Mr Hearnden said Gobar had killed her on 17 December and his footprint was found on scattered paperwork in the house, while her blood was found on his shoes when he was arrested.

He said: "Mr Gobar was not a professional killer. He killed her in a fit of rage in order to steal from her, thereby to feed a drug habit."

Jurors were told Mrs Myers was born in Lima, Peru, and had worked for the South American country's national airline before she met and married British Airways pilot Kevin Myers.

She moved to the UK, had two sons and the family lived in Crowborough, but she had lived alone after her marriage ended in 2014.