Still Missing UK - Bernadette Walker, 17, left parent's car, Peterborough, 21 July 2020 *Arrests* #3

[mspuurfect]

Maybe he wanted to know what all the kids would like to eat?
Sorry that is sarcasm, but could be a defence

It would not surprise me that line of defense

 

[dunkley]

If I had carried less in my bra (phone, cigarettes, lighter) I would only have been a 34B!

As for the police MFH procedures ..... I am guessing that they had a pretty good suspicion what they were dealing with LONG before any public 'disclosures' were made.
A lot of background investigations and enquiries, and multi-agency discussions.

 

[CSIAngus]

The tone of the Help Me Find My Sister fb campaign has changed markedly in the latest post from the family member. Much more accepting that she may actually be dead. My heart literally breaks for the kids.

 

[mspuurfect]

If I had carried less in my bra (phone, cigarettes, lighter) I would only have been a 34B!

As for the police MFH procedures ..... I am guessing that they had a pretty good suspicion what they were dealing with LONG before any public 'disclosures' were made.
A lot of background investigations and enquiries, and multi-agency discussions.

Perhaps, but as there were allegations of sexual abuse mentioned to the police then I'm sorry I think they should have made it more priority at the time but again ScW and SaW laid a false trail. I still think someone has escalated the case, maybe one of BW's friends? To me the police didn't do much to find her at the time in July but I'm not from area so don't know how many police appeals there were so could be wrong in that?

 

[mspuurfect]

The tone of the Help Me Find My Sister fb campaign has changed markedly in the latest post from the family member. Much more accepting that she may actually be dead. My heart literally breaks for the kids.

Poor guy, its his sister and he so wants to think his parents are no way to blame (especially his mum) and B is still alive somewhere. Jeez I guess even now in my mid 40's I would do this for my brother? The evidence is pretty damning but for a loved one without a body and closure it must be beyond awful, especially getting conflicting 'truths' from your own mum

 

[Mammaalli]

The tone of the Help Me Find My Sister fb campaign has changed markedly in the latest post from the family member. Much more accepting that she may actually be dead. My heart literally breaks for the kids.

He does still believe that if B was found they would be a family again though. Sarah won't be able to have any of her children back again.

 

[mspuurfect]

He does still believe that if B was found they would be a family again though. Sarah won't be able to have any of her children back again.

If she is found not guilty then I would think she would have her children back? If she is guilty then someone tell me what possibly happpens?

 

[Rednaxela]

DBM

 

[Joey100]

Bernadette Walker Murder Trial: Defence do not ‘accept or concede’ teenager is dead, jury told

 

[Mercsw]

If she is found not guilty then I would think she would have her children back? If she is guilty then someone tell me what possibly happpens?

she’s already guilty of two accounts as that’s her plea. They carry a sentence up to 3 years, so if that happens the kids will go into foster care.

if she is found guilty of the other two (and that would mean the law courts agree this girl is sadly dead) then the sentence goes up considerably.

often for smaller sentences they take into account dependents and wouldn’t stick a dozen kids into care (logistics, cost etc) but they also take into account all aspects, that includes allegations of rape, a missing child (possibly murdered), dysfunctional set up and risk to the existing children.

it would be up to social services to decide, but would you leave vulnerable children in that situation?

 

[Ayashley]

Bernadette Walker Murder Trial: Defence do not ‘accept or concede’ teenager is dead, jury told

Their argument is complete and total bs. Idk how someone can defend cases like this and sleep good at night... Absolutely disgusting.

 

[Mercsw]

Their argument is complete and total bs. Idk how someone can defend cases like this and sleep good at night... Absolutely disgusting.

they don’t really have much of a choice but to put this forward. If they concede she is dead and somehow avoiding all detection for over a year, then their defence falls apart quite quickly. Their story is she ran off after telling loads of lies, she was then contacting folk to point out she lied and she doesn’t want to come home because she lied. Did they mention she lied?

admitting she is dead, means they have a whole host of charges to deal with

 

[CSIAngus]

they don’t really have much of a choice but to put this forward. If they concede she is dead and somehow avoiding all detection for over a year, then their defence falls apart quite quickly. Their story is she ran off after telling loads of lies, she was then contacting folk to point out she lied and she doesn’t want to come home because she lied. Did they mention she lied?

admitting she is dead, means they have a whole host of charges to deal with

If the defence concede that BW is dead then the game is up for both of them. They don't have to prove that she is alive. I'm hoping for some unrefutable forensic evidence but the way this is going I have my doubts that the prosecution will make it over the line. We're only getting a few lines from a whole day in court so it is difficult to tell how it's actually going.

The prosecution could have countered with a missing children stat that only 0.2% are never found or located, i.e. 99.8% are found. BW was quite a vulnerable girl with no means (not even her bag) and I think it is not a reasonable proposition that she could have deliberately evaded all detection since the morning of the 18th July.

Looks like the defence barrister will try everything to maintain BW is not dead no matter how despicable that may look. I recall Levi Bellfield's barrister giving Milly Dowler's family an horrific time in court and later claiming he was 'just doing my job'.

 

[Tanzanite]

Their argument is complete and total bs. Idk how someone can defend cases like this and sleep good at night... Absolutely disgusting.

It's the (supposed) right to a fair trial and representation. ScW will be maintaining his innocence to his barrister, who has to present the facts as told by their client and point at and exploit holes in the prosecution's case. It's for the court to decide on guilt or innocence. I know several barristers: they don't always find a particular job uplifting, to put it mildly, but know that they have an ethical and professional duty to every client, and they're qualified to do it. And it's not always about helping someone avoid prison; they also need to make the case for appropriate sentencing etc.

'Obviously guilty' people are sometimes innocent of the crime with which they are charged: proper, qualified representation helps to minimise the risk of miscarriages of justice. I don't think that's the case here, incidentally.

But yes, away from that, I completely understand your POV. I couldn't do it, personally, but I'm glad that fair-minded, qualified people are willing to do it, as it helps to underpin the main tenents of our (creaking, and sometimes unfit-for-purpose) judicial system.

In other words, a dirty job, but someone's gotta do it!

 

[Alternative Paradox]

Their argument is complete and total bs. Idk how someone can defend cases like this and sleep good at night... Absolutely disgusting.

Good job you're not defense counsel then! (jk Ayashley)

The point is, despite what we may think or say, and to modify a well known saying - absence of proof of life is NOT proof of absence of life. (the obverse is equally true)

So, indeed, as a Defense team that has to be your standpoint, that BW is presumed alive until proven otherwise.

And the scenario of 'living under the radar' that the Defense pointed out is simply scene-setting for "reasonable doubt".

 

[CSIAngus]

It's the (supposed) right to a fair trial and representation. ScW will be maintaining his innocence to his barrister, who has to present the facts as told by their client and point at and exploit holes in the prosecution's case. It's for the court to decide on guilt or innocence. I know several barristers: they don't always find a particular job uplifting, to put it mildly, but know that they have an ethical and professional duty to every client, and they're qualified to do it. And it's not always about helping someone avoid prison; they also need to make the case for appropriate sentencing etc.

'Obviously guilty' people are sometimes innocent of the crime with which they are charged: proper, qualified representation helps to minimise the risk of miscarriages of justice. I don't think that's the case here, incidentally.

But yes, away from that, I completely understand your POV. I couldn't do it, personally, but I'm glad that fair-minded, qualified people are willing to do it, as it helps to underpin the main tenents of our (creaking, and sometimes unfit-for-purpose) judicial system.

In other words, a dirty job, but someone's gotta do it!

I have to adopt the same stance as a union rep on the basis that every member deserves a defence. The employer only has to prove balance of evidence in those cases and quite often you're not helped by the person you're defending.

 

[Tortoise]

I don't think any sensible jury would agree that there is the slightest possibility BW walked off, let alone that she has remained on the run with a new identity. Cash in hand jobs, travelling overseas without her passport during a pandemic, give me a break.

Nothing they did comports with believing BW was missing and alive, and indeed everything they did looks exactly like covering up a murder. Starting from the anger at her allegations of sexual abuse, to the missing 2 hours that she should have been home which SaW never mentioned to police, the fake messages from BW that were pointless if BW was alive and could speak for herself to any one of those friends, hiding that they had her phone and bag, the trips in the dead of night, the strategic switching off of phones, the reporting to police when all of that midnight chicanery was finished, the internet searches to misdirect, the lies about clothing in the media appeals, the not behaving like parents searching...it's not gonna work for them.

Thank goodness for Bee's note. I imagine they'd have had a field day if Bee had written anything about actually intending to run away.

 

[Cynicalfish]

she’s already guilty of two accounts as that’s her plea. They carry a sentence up to 3 years, so if that happens the kids will go into foster care.

if she is found guilty of the other two (and that would mean the law courts agree this girl is sadly dead) then the sentence goes up considerably.

often for smaller sentences they take into account dependents and wouldn’t stick a dozen kids into care (logistics, cost etc) but they also take into account all aspects, that includes allegations of rape, a missing child (possibly murdered), dysfunctional set up and risk to the existing children.

it would be up to social services to decide, but would you leave vulnerable children in that situation?

The maximum sentence a judge can impose on a defendant convicted of perverting the course of justice is life imprisonment. It is a common law offence that must be tried before a jury in a crown court.

Highly unlikely to get life for 1 count, but for 2 or 4 I doubt she will be out any time soon. Remember she's already pleaded guilty of 2 counts and faces 2 further counts, ScW is facing 4 counts. If ScW is convicted of murder then, I cant imagine she is going to be acquitted of the other 2. I think they have tried to be to clever by half, if they simply had left her phone alone then there would be no evidence at all really. With the phone tampering and Social Media email hacks they have basically put a neon sign up saying "we did it!"
IMO

 

[Sooty]

There feels like there’s a real ‘lack of pace’ with this trial - I’m sure this is mainly just because of the slow reporting and complex data details, but I can’t be the only one who thinks this! ! Hopefully we will get some new evidence presented via the newspaper reports later today …

 

[Ayashley]

Bernadette Walker Murder Trial: Teenager’s dad initially refused to let police check his phone after officers left notebook at his home

"
PC Elizabeth Aspland, who visited the house with her colleague PC Williams, told a jury after the pair had left Century Square they were contacted by Sarah Walker, who had heard they had left a notebook behind, and Scott Walker had taken pictures of the notebook.


PC Aspland said they returned to the house to knock on the door and pick the notebook up.

Lisa Wilding QC, prosecuting, asked if Scott Walker answered the door.

PC Aspland said; “Not straight away, but yes.”

PC Aspland said the officers asked Scott Walker to see his mobile phone.


When asked if he had agreed, PC Aspland said: “Not initially. He said ‘I don’t want anyone looking at my phone.’”

However, he did then agree, and PC Aspland said he went into the kitchen, where he was alone for a few seconds.

She told the court they then followed, and when they arrived in the kitchen, they saw him swiping across his screen.

She said: “He said ‘there are just things on here that I don’t want people to see.’”


The two officers then took the phone from him, and PC Aspland said the phone was open on a ‘deleted files’ screen.

However, the court was told there were no pictures of the notebook in the deleted files section, or on the phone itself."