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

[helenvic]

So on the Sunday he went to the fens and they can prove it.

This was on the Saturday after he picked BW up from his grandparents. He had to change his story to say OK yes, I did drive out to the Fens with BW, but then we drove back again to Skaters Way, where she jumped out. But the phone data also proved he hadn't gone to Skaters Way.

 

[MIdge28]

@helenvic you are awesome! I was too scared to make notes!! Latest update guys - the police officer I met at court the other day just phoned me and said ScW will not be in court today due to the breakdown - instead there will be a fair bit of legal discussions!!!! So nothing to see in court.
Is he about to spill the beans?

 

[Skigh]

Looking at him straight ahead of me, trying to imagine him killing in cold blood a step-daughter he'll have known since she was around 3 years old (?), I found it impossible to believe. How could anyone possibly do that? However, his story wasn't straight, his explanations were ridiculous, he was stumbling over his words. He made slip-ups. He sounded guilty. ... Re. SaW's painting of him, his gentleness felt exaggerated. So, perhaps there was violence there. Hard to say.

Again thank you so much for going and for providing such a detailed account .Without you we would be non the wiser and have just heard court ended early.
I wonder if this was the first time he really has had to answer questions about his actions and movements. I imagine he would have answered no comment to many police questions.

Did you say you were trying to go to court again next week?

 

[Skigh]

Thank you @helenvic for taking the time to go and for such a detailed report it has really helped paint a picture of the atmosphere in the court room.

He sounds like a 'man on the edge'....wait...haven't we heard that before? Oh yes, when he was first interviewed by police when BW was finally reported missing...seems like a pattern of behaviour when faced with questions he doesn't want to answer!

All my opinion of course.

Those are my feelings too,Holly. ScW is the type of person who can portray himself as gentle and caring when he is controlling the narrative,but as soon as he is challenged uses distraction techniques; feeling ill or excessive crying is a classic example of such behaviour.

 

[Kitkat28]

Those are my feelings too,Holly. ScW is the type of person who can portray himself as gentle and caring when he is controlling the narrative,but as soon as he is challenged uses distraction techniques; feeling ill or excessive crying is a classic example of such behaviour.

I agree with this. I personally don’t believe this ‘breakdown’ is anything other than a carefully manufactured attempt to either elicit the jurors’ sympathy or plant the seed that he’s not right in the head.

Luckily being a bumbling fool isn’t an adequate defence for cold blooded murder.

JMO

 

[HollyHunter9]

Those are my feelings too,Holly. ScW is the type of person who can portray himself as gentle and caring when he is controlling the narrative,but as soon as he is challenged uses distraction techniques; feeling ill or excessive crying is a classic example of such behaviour.

Absolutely skigh. He describes himself as not being very clever. I often think those who are not academically clever have to develop other skills...his is manipulation, lying...i think this poor ScW routine crying and being 'on the edge' is his fall back routine and he has gotten very good at it. Obviously worked as he's not in court today.

 

[Mercsw]

This was on the Saturday after he picked BW up from his grandparents. He had to change his story to say OK yes, I did drive out to the Fens with BW, but then we drove back again to Skaters Way, where she jumped out. But the phone data also proved he hadn't gone to Skaters Way.

Sorry I keep getting the days mixed up. But the point is he went to pick up the daughter who was accusing him of being a rapist, and rather than coming straight home (7 mins), he headed into the fens, and his daughter has never been seen again. Her bag however ended up at a lockup she couldn’t possibly of visited. He then claims after driving to isolated fens, he realised he didn’t live in a bloody dyke and drove back (the wrong way again!) where he stopped for a cigarette in the middle of the busiest road in the area, where she ran away down an alley and over a bridge that doesn’t exist.

he then went to McDonald’s and then decided to mention it 3 days later (after a middle of the night trip to the fens again).

I don’t know why we are struggling to believe him

 

[Mercsw]

I agree with this. I personally don’t believe this ‘breakdown’ is anything other than a carefully manufactured attempt to either elicit the jurors’ sympathy or plant the seed that he’s not right in the head.

Luckily being a bumbling fool isn’t an adequate defence for cold blooded murder.

JMO

I think the penny has dropped. It is genuine but not for bw. The story fell apart, he wanted to change his entire story on the stand as he just remembered something. If the judge hadn’t have stepped in, he would have ruined whatever slim chances he has. I think I would break down if I realised I was going to go to jail for the rest of my life…oh and the inmates know I’m a nonce. Rather him than me!

 

[CSIAngus]

The jurors, lawyers, and ScW had the map in front of them on a screen, marked with phone data, etc. I couldn't see it. I don't think it was a route, but rather places where his phone was located. I think he might have turned his phone off when he got to the Fens?

Well he clearly didn't drive up to the Cowbit area as he'd not driven that route since 2019, but it must have been somewhere the police searched. Does the area up Gunthorpe Road towards Newborough count as the Fens (I don't know the local geography)?

 

[Mercsw]

Well he clearly didn't drive up to the Cowbit area as he'd not driven that route since 2019, but it must have been somewhere the police searched. Does the area up Gunthorpe Road towards Newborough count as the Fens (I don't know the local geography)?

loosely. I wouldn’t count newborough as the fens as it’s a bit inland, but we would be arguing over a few miles as the deepings would count.

I think wherever he went with Sarah (where the phone was discarded) is likely to be where he went after turning his phone off and disappearing that morning.

the problem is that could be anywhere in south Kesteven or south Holland!

the net is tightening on both of them, but good luck finding any site in that area. It’s the proverbial needle in the haystack

 

[Mercsw]

Oh and I agree, I thought they said he hadn’t made that journey in 18 months, but looking at his response yesterday, he’s admitted to doing that after picking her up. So I am not following again…

 

[Sooty]

Quotes snipped from Helenvic post :

‘ He added that if they were trying to make it look like they weren’t on that trip, they wouldn’t have taken their phones at all.’

Ulldale Way bells ringing !

Did you leave her where you killed her, Mr. Walker?”
“Sorry?”
“Did you leave her where you killed her, Mr. Walker?”
“No. ... Two questions again.”

Does he mean the two questions were 1) did you kill her? and 2) did you leave her where you killed her?

Or is he confused and thinks the repeated question is two different questions I wonder.

 

[Sooty]

@Mercsw i wonder if he would have gone in the opposite direction (laying a trail and discarding the phone) from where the body could be. There is no way he wanted any trail to lead to her discovery, in my opinion.

 

[CSIAngus]

@Mercsw i think he would have gone in the opposite direction (laying a trail and discarding the phone) from where the body could be. There is no way he wanted any trail to lead to her discovery, in my opinion.

I think the key to finding BW lies in the map the prosecution showed of his whereabouts on the Saturday after he picked BW up, but even with that knowledge the police have not found her.

 

[Mercsw]

@Mercsw i think he would have gone in the opposite direction (laying a trail and discarding the phone) from where the body could be. There is no way he wanted any trail to lead to her discovery, in my opinion.

possibly but both times they turned their phones off and were gone for 90 minutes out that way. I think they have tried to be too clever and have now got to stick to a story that makes no sense

 

[Scorpiette]

Hi Helenvic, was SAW in court too, watching ScW crumble and hearing his testimony?
Many thanks for your reporting.

 

[Skigh]

possibly but both times they turned their phones off and were gone for 90 minutes out that way. I think they have tried to be too clever and have now got to stick to a story that makes no sense

Unless he confesses ,he is only delaying the inevitable as soon as he is cross examined again,any new story will fall apart.

 

[SaintMoore]

Hi Helenvic, was SAW in court too, watching ScW crumble and hearing his testimony?
Many thanks for your reporting.

Yes because she said Sarah started crying during Scott breaking down.
(?)

 

[SaintMoore]

Did you leave her where you killed her, Mr. Walker?”
“Sorry?”
“Did you leave her where you killed her, Mr. Walker?”
“No. ... Two questions again.”

I'm confused by this.
Is he responding No as if he's been asked 1. Did you kill her. And 2. Did you leave her where you killed her?

 

[Rednaxela]

[…] but even with that knowledge the police have not found her

Given we are led to believe ScW was steadfastly answering “no comment” in interview once arrested, then his only previous responses were the “man on the edge” and other earlier interactions with the police.

It could well be that the police also are building a clearer picture on where BW may be through the court testimony. @helenvic was there any sign of detectives in court beyond the usual uniformed police and prison service presence?