Still Missing UK - Bernadette Walker, 17, left parent's car, Peterborough, 21 July 2020 *Arrests* #4

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Sooty said:
There seem to be so many different versions of the family dynamics, don’t there?!
I’m sticking with the the court reported facts as they are likely to have been fact checked.
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Have the court reports conflicted what I wrote? If so please share!
Of course the court version of events should be listened to first and formost
 
I wonder if either of them will take the stand.

This is what they said on 14th June - The trial is scheduled to last for more than a month. Mrs Justice Maura McGowan told the jury panel that the trial is likely to last until at least the third week of July.

I never know if these estimates include an allowance for jury deliberations. I expect summing up by three teams and the judge is likely to take about 3 days.

I think if I was either of them I wouldn't take the stand. I don't see how they can improve their cases. The lies SaW told as well as changing her case every time they put more evidence to her is a prosecutor's dream, but usually if there is narcissism and a controlling personality involved they can't bear not to have their say and think that they can charm the jurors.
 
If I was their defence lawyer, I would suggest a no comment plea. The evidence isn’t great, it’s just their story is complete nonsense and stupid. However I think they are attracted to the attention. It will be what catches them out.

also don’t forget they have lost several days already due to illness, so it may be august before we get an answer
 
Tortoise said:
I wonder if either of them will take the stand.

This is what they said on 14th June - The trial is scheduled to last for more than a month. Mrs Justice Maura McGowan told the jury panel that the trial is likely to last until at least the third week of July.

I never know if these estimates include an allowance for jury deliberations. I expect summing up by three teams and the judge is likely to take about 3 days.

I think if I was either of them I wouldn't take the stand. I don't see how they can improve their cases. The lies SaW told as well as changing her case every time they put more evidence to her is a prosecutor's dream, but usually if there is narcissism and a controlling personality involved they can't bear not to have their say and think that they can charm the jurors.
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I have been wondering about this too
Bearing in mind ScW went no comment in all interviews after his arrest and his statements to police before that being laughable I think he will be advised not too. I wouldn't if I were him. I agree I think SaW will though as she will want to have her say and put on the show of a loving parent but think she will do herself no favours if she does.
What happens if someone does not take the stand does their defence speak for them?
 
jackal67 said:
I have been wondering about this too
Bearing in mind ScW went no comment in all interviews after his arrest and his statements to police before that being laughable I think he will be advised not too. I wouldn't if I were him. I agree I think SaW will though as she will want to have her say and put on the show of a loving parent but think she will do herself no favours if she does.
What happens if someone does not take the stand does their defence speak for them?
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i believe they just move on. You aren’t compelled to answer any questions, but it is your chance to put your side across! I think he may continue to keep quiet. She won’t!
 
I always hate the weekends here on WS, with no reporting everyone starts to get caught up on insignificant details and everyone usually starts bickering. Thankfully tomorrow is Monday and we will hopefully have new information to discuss so we don't get caught up rehashing things over and over again.
 
jackal67 said:
I have been wondering about this too
Bearing in mind ScW went no comment in all interviews after his arrest and his statements to police before that being laughable I think he will be advised not too. I wouldn't if I were him. I agree I think SaW will though as she will want to have her say and put on the show of a loving parent but think she will do herself no favours if she does.
What happens if someone does not take the stand does their defence speak for them?
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Their defence barrister speaks on their behalf but if the defendant hasn't given a version that can be cross-examined, on the stand, the barristers can't give it for them. So they would be restricted to trying to sew doubt about the prosecution case.
 
Whilst I absolutely agree that it is overwhelmingly probable that Bernadette was murdered by one or both of her parents, I am worried and confused by the lack of physical evidence.
It seems like the only alternative to her murder on the 18th being considered is the suggestion that she ran away with no resources and has “lain low” since then (also highly unlikely).
But the other possibility is that she was murdered by someone else, either a stranger or someone she knew. Children who have been abused are often targeted by predators who can spot the signs of a vulnerable victim. It’s possible that BW might have trusted someone to help her who abused that trust (teacher/family friend/authority figure) or even a mini cab driver. After all, we don’t actually know where or when she disappeared or whether she had money or clothes etc (I don’t trust a word her parents have said).
 
ADMIN NOTE:

Hey everyone, in 4 threads for Bernadette, we can't find where the "help me find My Sister (Bernadette Walker)" has been approved or disapproved by Tricia or WS staff. This is why it's so important to ask for approval before a link is provided to such pages (instead of just posting the link and hoping it's okay. Mods may not see your post for a dog's age, as has happened here).

As Bernadette's brother AW is part of the Admin team on that group support page, we would normally allow it.

Is anyone aware of a reason why it should or should not be allowed? If so, please use the Report feature on this post to let us know one way or another.

Thank you.
 
Rosefinch said:
Whilst I absolutely agree that it is overwhelmingly probable that Bernadette was murdered by one or both of her parents, I am worried and confused by the lack of physical evidence.
It seems like the only alternative to her murder on the 18th being considered is the suggestion that she ran away with no resources and has “lain low” since then (also highly unlikely).
But the other possibility is that she was murdered by someone else, either a stranger or someone she knew. Children who have been abused are often targeted by predators who can spot the signs of a vulnerable victim. It’s possible that BW might have trusted someone to help her who abused that trust (teacher/family friend/authority figure) or even a mini cab driver. After all, we don’t actually know where or when she disappeared or whether she had money or clothes etc (I don’t trust a word her parents have said).
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I think if that were the case you would see the parents actually behaving like parents of a child who has run away, but they didn't. They behaved like they were covering up a murder in those 3 days, and then they reported her missing once they'd finished their activities under cover of darkness, so the chances of them doing that when someone else has murdered her must be next to nil. JMO
 
Rosefinch said:
Whilst I absolutely agree that it is overwhelmingly probable that Bernadette was murdered by one or both of her parents, I am worried and confused by the lack of physical evidence.
It seems like the only alternative to her murder on the 18th being considered is the suggestion that she ran away with no resources and has “lain low” since then (also highly unlikely).
But the other possibility is that she was murdered by someone else, either a stranger or someone she knew. Children who have been abused are often targeted by predators who can spot the signs of a vulnerable victim. It’s possible that BW might have trusted someone to help her who abused that trust (teacher/family friend/authority figure) or even a mini cab driver. After all, we don’t actually know where or when she disappeared or whether she had money or clothes etc (I don’t trust a word her parents have said).
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we shouldn’t rule out anything, but it would be damn bad luck if that did happen. Remember in the week leading up to her last sighting…

1. she revealed she was being raped by her dad, and the mum threatened to kill her if she said anything.
2. Her phone was confiscated and passwords changed and messages being sent BEFORE she was missing.
3. The 2-3 unexplained periods (2 in the middle of the night to areas they would have no believable reason to visit)
4. Her bag was at the lockup. How if she had run off before he had gone there?
5. The truly ridiculous version of events by both parents to justify their position from not reporting it to not searching

yes it’s possible she did run away into the arms of a predator, but I would be more inclined to believe the evidence they have is telling
 
ADMIN NOTE:

Because AW is a family member and the group support page discussion has been ongoing, we're going to let it continue.

Having said that, please don't trash him for the information he presents. You may discuss why you think it is or is not correct, but please remember that by WS standards he is also considered a victim. You may disagree with what he has to say, but please do so respectfully at all times.
 
Thus far we have but crumbs from the evidence presented in court. SaW, for instance, would have had many interviews yet we have been given a few brief sentences in the reports. Much of those interviews would have been read out in court, the prosecution team and an officer from the investigative team reciting the exchange from transcripts. As we question and re-question every snipped from the timeline that touches on her, so the Police would have questioned her on a number of occasions about each one. There is no indication that ScW has said anything at all.

That is the frustration for me. It's like the reality tv programme that feeds us entertaining excerpts until the end then reveals who has won and it's never the obvious one who's been in the spotlight throughout. I hope the winner will be justice for BW, but at the moment we're left with an odd set of events explained in an implausible manner, if at all, and faced with the actual reality that the onus is on the prosecution to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt. There is no physical evidence of murder, no firm indication of how or when or where. We only have the who and why, but even those are sparsely supported by actual fact.

The prosecution conclude their case on Monday. I'm hoping for something new.
 
CSIAngus said:
Thus far we have but crumbs from the evidence presented in court. SaW, for instance, would have had many interviews yet we have been given a few brief sentences in the reports. Much of those interviews would have been read out in court, the prosecution team and an officer from the investigative team reciting the exchange from transcripts. As we question and re-question every snipped from the timeline that touches on her, so the Police would have questioned her on a number of occasions about each one. There is no indication that ScW has said anything at all.

That is the frustration for me. It's like the reality tv programme that feeds us entertaining excerpts until the end then reveals who has won and it's never the obvious one who's been in the spotlight throughout. I hope the winner will be justice for BW, but at the moment we're left with an odd set of events explained in an implausible manner, if at all, and faced with the actual reality that the onus is on the prosecution to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt. There is no physical evidence of murder, no firm indication of how or when or where. We only have the who and why, but even those are sparsely supported by actual fact.

The prosecution conclude their case on Monday. I'm hoping for something new.
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Sarah's police interviews in custody were recorded (probably video) and played to the jury. So the jury got to see her demeanour as the interviews progressed and her story changed, which is useful if she doesn't testify. source

It's Bee's texts with Sarah on the night of the 16th, and Sarah's facebook messages to Bee's online friend on the 19th which were read out between the prosecutor and the police officer. source and source
 
Tortoise said:
Sarah's police interviews in custody were recorded (probably video) and played to the jury. So the jury got to see her demeanour as the interviews progressed and her story changed, which is useful if she doesn't testify. source

It's Bee's texts with Sarah on the night of the 16th, and Sarah's facebook messages to Bee's online friend on the 19th which were read out between the prosecutor and the police officer. source and source
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That's the problem, reports have been so sparse that it's almost impossible to construct an overall impression of the case as presented in court.
 
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