A man who murdered his 17-year-old stepdaughter after she accused him of sexual abuse has been sentenced to life in prison. Scott Walker, 51, was told he must serve a minimum of 32 years at Cambridge Crown Court. Bernadette Walker, from Peterborough, disappeared in July 2020 and is presumed dead, though her body has never been found.
Bernadette, also known as Bee, had told her mother, Sarah Walker, that Scott Walker had been abusing her 'over a number of years'. The court heard that Sarah Walker did not believe her daughter and threatened to kill her if she went to the police. Bernadette was last seen on 18 July 2020, when Scott Walker collected her from his parents' home.
Prosecutors said Scott Walker's phone was switched off for 91 minutes during that journey, and it was during this time that he killed her. He then called Sarah Walker, and the pair concocted a cover-up story. Sarah Walker sent messages from Bernadette's phone and hacked into her social media accounts to make it appear she was still alive.
Sarah Walker was jailed for six years after being found guilty of two counts of perverting the course of justice. The judge, Mrs Justice McGowan, said Scott Walker's refusal to reveal where Bernadette's body is 'means she can't be shown the respect she deserves'. Detective Inspector Justine Jenkins expressed hope that answers may still be found to lay Bernadette to rest.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct investigated Cambridgeshire Police's handling of the case and found 'opportunities were missed', but concluded this could not have prevented her death.
