Bernadette Walker: Dad killed girl to silence sex abuse claims, court told

Bernadette Walker, 17, was last seen in July

A teenage student was murdered by her father to silence her claims that he sexually abused her, a court has heard.

Bernadette Walker, 17, was last seen when Scott Walker, 51, picked her up from his parents' Peterborough home, jurors heard. He denies her murder.

Prosecutors allege he and her mother Sarah Walker, 38, then formed an "unholy alliance" to cover up her death. Her body has never been found.

Both deny perverting the course of justice.

Prosecutor Lisa Wilding QC told Cambridge Crown Court that on 16 July last year Bernadette, also known as Bea, told her mother her father "had been sexually abusing her over a number of years".

"Sarah Walker told Bernadette that she did not believe her," said Ms Wilding.

"The following day, it was decided that Bernadette should go and spend the night with her paternal grandparents while things calmed down a little."

Bernadette is presumed dead, prosecutors say

Bernadette's father collected her from her grandparents' house the following morning, prosecutors allege.

"Since the day she disappeared she has not used or sought to access her telephone or social media accounts, she has had access to no money or banking and has not been seen at any hospital or other surgery," said Ms Wilding.

"No-one who knew her or loved her has heard from her since that day."

Ms Wilding said Bernadette was "presumed dead", adding: "The prosecution allege that Scott Walker killed Bea to prevent her pursuing her allegations of sexual abuse any further."

She said Mr Walker's phone was off between 11:23 BST and 12:54 on 18 July and "the prosecution say that in that hour and a half he killed Bea".

Bernadette's body has not been found

She said the first call he made, lasting nine minutes, was to Ms Walker,

"The only sensible conclusion that can be drawn from that telephone call is that Scott Walker told his wife that he had killed Bernadette and needed her help, immediately, to cover up Bea's disappearance and death, and to buy them both time to work out what should happen next," said Ms Wilding.

"From that moment on, Scott and Sarah Walker - Bea's own mother and father - were joined, the prosecution say, in an unholy alliance, designed and intended to mislead, to divert and to pervert the inevitable investigation into the disappearance and ultimately the death of Bea Walker."

The court was told the parents "hacked" into Bernadette's social media accounts and pretended to be her to friends and family.

"They lied to everyone around them... about her disappearance and they were unflinching in their pursuit of their devious, wicked plan.

"All parental love and responsibility was gone, if ever it actually existed."

Mr Walker denies Bernadette's murder on or after 18 July and four counts of perverting the course of justice.

Ms Walker denies two counts of perverting the course of justice.

The trial continues.