Shock as Billie-Jo foster dad awaits murder retrial
By Dominic Herbert & James Orr
MURDER case foster dad Sion Jenkins walks hand in hand with his secret new wife—a besotted millionairess who wrote to him in prison.
The former teacher married art dealer Christina Ferneyhough last week while awaiting retrial over the killing of 13-year-old foster daughter Billie-Jo.
We can reveal that their hush-hush, low-key wedding took place in a London church not far from the 55-year-old blonde's £1.5million home in an exclusive mews near Buckingham Palace.
Jenkins, 47, has made regular 500-mile round trips from Wales to see Christina since being released on bail last August.
He is pictured here in London with his new bride on his way to see his lawyers the day after their wedding.
Christina—who has a 13-year-old son—started writing to him while he was serving a life sentence for battering Billie-Joe to death with a metal tent spike in 1997.
The two—both divorcees—are said to have fallen deeply in love since he was freed afer his original conviction was quashed. A new trial has been ordered by three Appeal Court judges.
An eye-witness at their marriage at St Peter's Church, Eaton Square, told us: "They looked every inch the happy couple and are clearly very much in love.
Staring
"They couldn't stop staring at each other and were constantly smiling and laughing. Their body language was very strong."
They went back to Christina's secluded three-storey home to celebrate after the ceremony.
Greying father-of-four Jenkins has gone to great lengths to keep his relationship with wealthy Christina under wraps until after his retrial in April.
During Christina's many visits to him in Aberystwyth she stayed in hotels rather than at his parents' seven-bedroom period home where he has lived since his release.
Only a handful of close friends know about the relationship. One said yesterday: "Christina and Sion have been very careful when out together.
"They wanted to keep their marriage as secret as possible before the trial.
"But recently they have been struggling to conceal their obvious love for each other." The friend revealed how Christina started writing to Sion after he was jailed at Lewes Crown Court folowing Billie's murder at their home in Hastings, East Sussex.
"She took an interest in his case, started sending him letters and it just started from there," said the pal. "Once he was released on bail they began a proper relationship.
"There is a lot of travelling between Aberystwyth and London for the both of them because of his bail conditions."
Jenkins is banned from travelling more than 30 miles from the Welsh town, with the exception of approved visits to London to see his lawyers.
It is on these trips that he meets up with Christina.
On Tuesday Jenkins and Christina were spotted strolling hand-in-hand from his solicitors' office near King's Cross to a nearby restaurant. An onlooker said: "They were obviously revelling in each other's company—life clearly couldn't be much better for Jenkins at the moment."
After finishing their lunch the pair tenderly kissed goodbye before Jenkins headed back to the solicitors for more meetings.
"It is not an ideal situation for newlyweds but Sion is just glad he is on bail so they can be together," said the friend.
Shocked
Twice-married Christina inherited a fortune from her parents' estate agents business in Southsea, Hampshire. She ran a successful antiques shop off trendy Sloane Street in London's Chelsea with her second husband Miles. The shop was popular with the rich and famous. Christina, who is also a qualified nurse, split from Miles about five years ago after 14 years together. Their 13-year-old son lives with her. Her first husband also ran a successful antiques and fine arts business.
Jenkins left Category A Belmarsh Prison last summer declaring his innocence after a retrial was ordered. He had served six years of his life sentence.
During the original trial the jury was told how his foster daughter was battered to death at home. He was said to have lost his temper with her as she painted a patio door.
But the Appeal Court ruled that new forensic evidence made Jenkins' original conviction unsafe.
His first wife Lois, 43, divorced him after his conviction in 1998 and she moved to Tasmania, with their four daughters and her new partner.
But Christina can't bear to be apart from Jenkins. The friend said: "They seem to be very happy together but some of her friends will be shocked at the news they have married.
"It seems a bit sudden so she must be very taken with him."
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