Mother of missing Peterborough teenager admits lying to police

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.

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.

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 of perverting the course of justice.

A trial has been fixed for June 10 at Cambridge Crown Court with a time estimate of two to three weeks.

Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb set a pre-trial hearing at the Old Bailey on May 27.

The defendants, both of Millfield, Peterborough, were remanded into custody.