Still Missing UK - Bernadette Walker, 17, left parent's car, Peterborough, 21 July 2020 *Arrests* #2

[Legally Bland]

So the last text would be after it was declared a murder investigation, possibly after Scott was arrested too.

19th March 2021

During the hearing Sarah Walker admitted two charges of perverting the course of justice.

The charges alleged the defendants sent messages from Bernadette’s phone between July 18 and September 12 last year, and they provided false information to the police relating to her disappearance on July 21.​

Mum of missing Peterborough teenager Bernadette Walker admits perverting the course of justice

12 SEP 2020​

"Detectives from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit declared the case a ‘no body’ murder investigation yesterday."

[...]

Detectives suspect a 17-year-old girl who went missing seven weeks ago has been murdered and they have arrested a man in his 50s.​

Girl, 17, missing for weeks was 'murdered', police say - as man in 50s arrested

BBM.

 

[Smithpanes]

This is certainly a twist in the story! How can you admit that you sent messages and lied to the Police? Then in the next breath say you do not know anything about her disappearance?

This is really shocking that she did that! Quite hard to digest if I’m being honest.

 

[Number8]

Could it be that she will continue to assert her innocence, but saw this as the least worst way of getting out?

Oh I definitely think she will still assert her innocence. My opinion only but she seems to be very concerned about her "mom persona"/public image. My guess is that she had to partially own up to perverting the course of justice because LE probably has some solid evidence connecting her to the phone messages, but she'll make up some innocent reason why (e.g. she sent messages from Bernie's phone because she didn't want people to worry about her) or she'll turn on Scott and say that she was just doing what he told her to do. I don't think it'll go over well with a jury tho JMO

 

[Bogyo13]

This is just so sad imo. Might as well tell where she is. I was still hoping she wouldn't be involved but after this..
I wish she'd tell where to find Bernie so she could have a funeral with her actual loved ones having a chance to say a final goodbye MOO.

 

[Scorpiette]

If SW and SW both appeared via video link at court, does that mean each of them knows the other's pleas? Seems strange Sarah pleaded guilty of sending messages from BW's phone, and Scott pleaded not guilty.

 

[Alyce]

Oh I definitely think she will still assert her innocence. My opinion only but she seems to be very concerned about her "mom persona"/public image. My guess is that she had to partially own up to perverting the course of justice because LE probably has some solid evidence connecting her to the phone messages, but she'll make up some innocent reason why (e.g. she sent messages from Bernie's phone because she didn't want people to worry about her) or she'll turn on Scott and say that she was just doing what he told her to do. I don't think it'll go over well with a jury tho JMO

I agree with you that she will have given some excuse along the lines of Scott made me do it, or she was covering for Bernadette so people didn’t worry..
But now that she has pleaded guilty she will not be going to trial

 

[Smithpanes]

I agree with you that she will have given some excuse along the lines of Scott made me do it, or she was covering for Bernadette so people didn’t worry..
But now that she has pleaded guilty she will not be going to trial

Will she not be a witness at Scott’s trial then?

 

[Bogyo13]

All those poor children, losing everyone around them. I hope they are well looked after and loved, kept away from this sad circus. MOO

 

[Alyce]

Will she not be a witness at Scott’s trial then?

she may be, though somehow I doubt it, but I meant she won’t be facing a trial herself

 

[Scorpiette]

I agree with you that she will have given some excuse along the lines of Scott made me do it, or she was covering for Bernadette so people didn’t worry..
But now that she has pleaded guilty she will not be going to trial

But Sarah W has denied 2 further charges, so won't there be a trial for those?
'Sarah Walker denied two similar charges, which also alleged the couple gave “the impression that Bernadette Walker was alive” and that they knew she was dead.

Scott Walker denied all four counts.'
Mother of missing teenager admits lying to police

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

The mother of alleged teenage murder victim Bernadette Walker has admitted lying to police, but denied knowing she was dead.

Bernadette, 17, from Peterborough, remains unaccounted for since she was reported missing in July last year.

Her father, Scott Walker, 51, has pleaded not guilty to her murder on July 18 last year.

On Friday both her parents, Scott Walker and Sarah Walker, 38, appeared at the Old Bailey by video link from Peterborough jail.

Mother of missing Peterborough teenager admits lying to police | ITV News

 

[Tortoise]

But Sarah W has denied 2 further charges, so won't there be a trial for those?
'Sarah Walker denied two similar charges, which also alleged the couple gave “the impression that Bernadette Walker was alive” and that they knew she was dead.

Scott Walker denied all four counts.'
Mother of missing teenager admits lying to police

Yes I think it sounds like she still faces the other charges.


At a hearing on Friday, Mrs Walker pleaded guilty to two charges alleging the pair sent messages from Bernadette's phone between 18 July and 12 September last year and they provided false information to the police relating to her disappearance.

She denied two similar charges, which alleged the couple gave "the impression that Bernadette Walker was alive" and that they knew she was dead.

The pair, both of Millfield, Peterborough, were remanded into custody ahead of a trial in June.

Mother of missing Bernadette Walker admits lying to police



I wonder if a conspiracy charge is indicated somewhere in these charges, or if it's all perverting the course of justice?

 

[Alyce]

But Sarah W has denied 2 further charges, so won't there be a trial for those?
'Sarah Walker denied two similar charges, which also alleged the couple gave “the impression that Bernadette Walker was alive” and that they knew she was dead.

Scott Walker denied all four counts.'
Mother of missing teenager admits lying to police

Interesting....

the original details re the charges , back in November 2020, only showed two charges

A murder charge against the mother of missing Peterborough teenager Bernadette Walker has been dropped, but she now faces two counts of perverting the course of justice.

Peterborough: Scott Walker and Sarah Walker face charges - PeterboroughMatters.co.uk


But from the latest, I agree, does look as though there are now two further charges. Could be why we she was given more time to make her plea.
I still think she will get a minimal sentence for these - if found guilty - and probably be out within a year, based on time already served on remand.

 

[Kitkat28]

Isn’t SaW still saying that Bernadette is alive though?

If so, she can’t admit to “giving the impression she’s alive” because as far as she’s concerned Bernadette is alive so there wouldn’t be any offence there (theoretically obviously).

If she admits to sending some texts and he denies everything, I think between them they are hoping that without a body it’s a weak case and she will get a light sentence and he will get away with it. MOO of course.

 

[sundaaaay]

What horrible parents jeeze MOO

 

[Scorpiette]

Kitkat28 said 'If she admits to sending some texts and he denies everything, I think between them they are hoping that without a body it’s a weak case and she will get a light sentence and he will get away with it. MOO of course.'

I agree. Their behaviour and pleas exude super confidence that poor BW won't be found. They had 2 days before reporting her missing. What on earth have they done to her?? MOO.

 

[smucklecrumble]

Mother of missing Bernadette Walker admits lying to police

Smh....

 

[smucklecrumble]

I'm shocked she has pleaded Guilty!
This is such a confusing case, what on earth happened?!

I believe they had some heavy evidence

 

[Tortoise]

Mother of missing Bernadette Walker admits lying to police

Smh....

I think she's on a hiding to nothing.

How can she admit providing false information to police about Bernadette's disappearance, and admit sending texts from Bernadette's phone, but deny giving the impression that Bernadette was alive?

What else is a text to yourself, but to give an impression to the police, who were informed that she was missing and were tasked with searching for her, to believe she is using her own phone to send a message, and so is alive?

I think she's been caught by evidence that the two charges she's admitted to are provable beyond any doubt, and she will deny what she thinks they can't prove, which is her intention behind those actions. It's going to have to be some tall story.

I don't think she can admit to her other children what happened, through shame. Who is going to believe that she colluded with Scott over false details of her disappearance, had Bernadette's phone, sent texts to herself from it, didn't hear from Bernadette at all since it happened, while thinking Bernadette was alive and safe?

Then there's the possibility she will claim Scott forced her to do these things and she was afraid of him. That's still giving the impression Bernadette was alive but with a defence, an excuse. Once he was in custody for murder that was her chance to spill the beans. In fact, why didn't she work with police to have him arrested earlier? Seeing the photos on her facebook page, was she smiling in the park, and in the restaurant, in the knowledge that Scott had killed her daughter, with a gun to her back? Or was she trying to give the impression that Bernadette was alive and no crime had been committed?

JMO

 

[Homo Habilis]

I think she's on a hiding to nothing.

How can she admit providing false information to police about Bernadette's disappearance, and admit sending texts from Bernadette's phone, but deny giving the impression that Bernadette was alive?

What else is a text to yourself, but to give an impression to the police, who were informed that she was missing and were tasked with searching for her, to believe she is using her own phone to send a message, and so is alive?

I think she's been caught by evidence that the two charges she's admitted to are provable beyond any doubt, and she will deny what she thinks they can't prove, which is her intention behind those actions. It's going to have to be some tall story.

I don't think she can admit to her other children what happened, through shame. Who is going to believe that she colluded with Scott over false details of her disappearance, had Bernadette's phone, sent texts to herself from it, didn't hear from Bernadette at all since it happened, while thinking Bernadette was alive and safe?

Then there's the possibility she will claim Scott forced her to do these things and she was afraid of him. That's still giving the impression Bernadette was alive but with a defence, an excuse. Once he was in custody for murder that was her chance to spill the beans. In fact, why didn't she work with police to have him arrested earlier? Seeing the photos on her facebook page, was she smiling in the park, and in the restaurant, in the knowledge that Scott had killed her daughter, with a gun to her back? Or was she trying to give the impression that Bernadette was alive and no crime had been committed?

JMO

Excellent summary. Yes, in a scenario which she knew something bad had happened to B before their arrests, and ScW had forced her into coercion, she would have spilled the beans immediately on him being remanded into custody. Or, as others have surmised, ScW may have pursuaded her to send those texts to help take the heat off him, she believing that B had genuinely ran away. In either case, the CPS wouldn't have sent her to trial, right? Going by her flimsy excuse of a birthday card, it's obvious she knows something bad happened to B, but might have learned such from evidence the police presented her. Yet I can't help feel they have something more damning for her innocence to be determined by a jury at the Old Bailey.

The mind boggles. I can't believe the direction this is taking. A simple case of a step-father murdering step-daughter over something sexually motivated, would've seemed the most likely outcome. The mother pleading guilty to Perverting the Course of Justice adds so much more dimension. Thinking of the family's obsession with social media, I'm considering the plausibility of a Shannon Matthews type case. Hell, perhaps B was even in on it and something went awry.