'An unholy alliance': the lies of Scott and Sarah Walker
Bernadette Walker was a popular, talented 17-year-old photographer with her whole life ahead of her.
A life which was tragically cut short by the man she called "Dad", Scott Walker.
On July the 18th 2020, Walker was seen picking Bernadette up from his parent's house. This was the last time she was seen alive.
The day before, she'd told her mother that he'd been sexually abusing her.
It was three days later that the couple reported Bernadette missing.
From then, prosecutors say that Walker and Bernadette's mother Sarah created an "unholy alliance" to cover up her death, sending messages from Bernadette's phone to give the impression she was still alive, and giving false information to Cambridgeshire Police.
To this day, police have not found Bernadette's body.
In footage shown to the court, Scott Walker is seen denying accusations of sexual assault from the moment he was arrested. A day later, it became a murder inquiry
Walker is heard pleading with police: "Can I just see Sarah?".
"We know all about the accusations and stuff," he continued. Finally, he asks police: "Will I be able to have a smoke?".
Bernadette had told her mother about the sexual abuse, but she didn't believe her.
Bernadette’s rucksack was found in a lock-up and a diary was found inside. An extract read, “Told my mum about my dad and the abuse. She called me a liar and threatened to kill me if I told the police. What kind of parent wouldn’t believe their daughter?”
Earlier that year in January 2020, chillingly, Bernadette posted this image on Instagram.
Sarah Walker spoke to Cambridgeshire Police on the 10th of September, but the lies continued.
When asked about Scott Walker's movements on the 18th of July, Sarah Walker said he came home and began to recap what he said had happened.
"He sort of re ran through what he told me on the phone, and I was like oh right, ok, well let's give her a couple of hours to see if she messages and of course she did, so that sort of set my mind at ease straight away."
These messages were sent from Bernadette's phone by Scott and Sarah Walker.
Passwords on Bernadette’s social media accounts were changed and messages sent to friends and family to make it look as though Bea had simply run away from home.
Asked by Cambridgeshire Police how Scott Walker was when he returned home - Sarah Walker said: "He was drained. He was just drained and tired and he was upset by the whole situation."
She added that Scott Walker was "scared".
"I can't even imagine how it must feel to have an accusation like that against you. Even though she's then said it's not true, but then to disappear. It doesn't exactly look good."
Scott Walker was today sentenced to life in prison, with a minimum sentence of 32 years for the murder of Bernadette. He was also convicted on two counts of perverting the course of justice.
Sarah Walker admitted two counts of perverting the course of justice by sending messages from Bernadette's phone after she disappeared and by providing false information to the police relating to her disappearance.
Sarah Walker denied two counts of perverting the course of justice "knowing or believing" Bernadette to be dead, but jurors found her guilty on both counts by majority verdicts.
She was sentenced to 6 years in jail for perverting the course of justice.