‘We will never give up seeking the truth about Sarah’s death’

Dutchman Richard de Wit is accused of her murder but, despite the seven year ongoing trial, the truth about what really happened that night has still not been established.

Father, Vic Groves, said no-one is any the wiser now than they were then.

There have been 184 scheduled hearings, many of which have been farcical in nature and totally unproductive. The trial is currently being conducted under its fourth judge, its seventh public prosecutor and its sixth defence counsel.

Mr Groves described the court papers as ‘woefully inadequate’.

‘Despite the many setbacks, it is very slowly moving towards a conclusion. ‘Unless key witnesses can be located and brought to court and unless the boatowner and all members of his family are brought back for second cross-examination, the judgment cannot be trusted – either way,’ he said.

In an email from a very senior lawyer who was closely involved during the middle stages of the trial, it was said that: ‘The current judge is going through the motions, ticking off witnesses from the list, but no reasonable observer can have any illusion that what happens is an actual trial geared at the determination of the truth.’

Mr Groves said justice for Sarah is as far away as it ever was, but the family and legal team will never give up seeking the truth.

‘As in all such situations – someone knows what happened that night.’

Grateful for the support locally and from the UK government, Mr Groves said that the trial itself had been a travesty and a disgrace.

‘We knew that the Indian legal processes were slow, but this has been exceptional. Luckily I think they are starting to realise that and we are slowly moving towards an end.’

He hoped to be able to attend the final hearing with the verdict but was concerned about travel limitations to Kashmir.

‘It’s an expensive trip and we run the risk of getting there only for nothing to be done. Four of the six times I have gone to court, nothing has happened – it had been a complete waste.’

Last summer, Kashmir’s special status was revoked, meaning it no longer had laws unto itself.

Initially, this frustrated the Groves family as it caused further delay and disruption to the trial, but now Mr Groves says it was one of the best things that could have happened.

‘This is now working in our favour and is hopefully bringing us closer to justice.’

• The two hearings scheduled for next week on Wednesday and Thursday are unlikely to proceed due to the coronavirus lockdown in force throughout India, including Kashmir where the trial is taking place.

'It never leaves us'

WHILE Sarah Groves’ family continue to fight for her justice, the charity set up in her name aims to enhance young lives.

The Sarah Groves Foundation was set up in her honour towards the end of 2013 with the aim of fulfilling her life’s ambition – to enhance the lives of young people, especially of those less fortunate than herself.

All legal costs are at the family’s expense, money raised through the charity goes towards projects that help young people, such as initiatives in the children’s library and providing bikes for vulnerable children.

‘There are two clear streams to our lives now – fighting for justice and fundraising for projects Sarah would have liked to have done herself,’ father Vic Groves said.

‘But of course, seven years on, we would have hoped by now to just have one stream.

‘Right now, with the coronavirus, the Sarah Groves Foundation is on hold as we cannot hold fundraising events.

‘The charity is pretty inactive but its dedication to young people is always there.’

The family is incredibly proud of what the charity has achieved but Mr Groves said the murder destroyed the family atmosphere.

‘People might see us at events or out and about, and we might look happy, but we cannot enjoy life like others while this trial is hanging over us.

‘We might look like we’re having a nice time but the rest of our lives are spent mourning her loss and desperately trying to find the truth – it never leaves us.’