The suitcases were found on the Clifton Suspension Bridge
16:13, 30 Apr 2025Updated 17:00, 30 Apr 2025
The police cordon near the Suspension Bridge(Image: PAUL GILLIS / Reach PLC)
The court has heard how the man accused of murdering two men in West London and dumping their remains in suitcases made his way to the Clifton Suspension Bridge, where the suitcases were found.
Yostin Andres Mosquera is on trial at the Old Bailey for the murders of Albert Alfonso, 62, and Paul Longworth, 71, on or before July 11 last year in the flat the two shared in Scotts Road, Shepherd’s Bush, west London.
Mosquera, 35, admitted the manslaughter of Mr Alfonso during a hearing at the Old Bailey on Tuesday, but prosecution did not accept his plea and the defendant is being tried on both charges of murder.
The prosecutor, Deanna Heer KC, told the jury that Mosquera was picked up by a ‘man with a van’, Julian Romero, where two suitcases were loaded, before taking the M4 to Bristol.
Ms Heer says Mosquera was dropped outside a pub around 400m from the Clifton Suspension Bridge, where he caught the attention of football fans who had been watching England play Holland in the Euros.
Jason Yearsley and his partner Clare Webster asked Mosquera if he needed any help, so he used Google Translate to tell them his name was Juan and he needed to drop off some suitcases, filled with mechanical parts and oil, to a client, the court hears.
Mr Yearsley offered him a lift, but it became clear the suitcases were too heavy and would not fit in his car, so a taxi was called for him instead.
When the taxi driver dropped him off in a layby on the other side of the bridge, a red liquid began to leak from one of the cases so Mosquera told him it was oil and wiped it away, the court heard.
Mosquera, leaving the silver suitcase in the layby, then dragged the red suitcase to the bridge wall and attempted to lift it over but could not, which caught the attention of bridge staff.
The court heard how Mosquera said he was waiting for a friend, but when he returned to the layby with the red suitcase, a large red stain appeared where the suitcase had been on the bridge.
Douglas Cunningham, a cyclist, then approached and spoke to him in Spanish, requesting to see inside the suitcase after he and bridge staff noticed more red liquid, jurors were told.
After the challenge, Mosquera walked off and broke into a run, at which point Mr Cunningham managed to capture some video footage, which included Mosquera trying to knock his phone away, the court heard.
The prosecutor said that police were then called to the scene and when they looked inside the suitcases, they found the remains of Paul Longworth in the silver suitcase ‘with attached arms and two detached legs… His head, hands and feet had been removed’.
Albert Alfonso’s remains were in the red suitcase ‘with attached arms and hands and two detached legs with attached feet… His head had been removed’.
The remaining body parts, and heads, were found in the chest freezer at the flat of the victims, a pathologist said the bodies were cut using the same tools.
Prosecutor Deanne Heer KC told the court: “This evidence is consistent with both bodies being dismembered by the same person using the same tools. The prosecution says that person was the defendant.”
The trial continues.