Bernadette Walker: Mum 'Googled partner's role in teen's disappearance'

Bernadette Walker, 17, was last seen on 18 July last year

A mother of a missing girl twice searched the phrase "I think my partner knows where my missing child is" on Google, a court heard.

Bernadette Walker, 17, was last seen on 18 July, and Scott Walker, 51, who she called "Dad" but was not her biological father, denies her murder.

Prosecutors allege he and her mother Sarah Walker, 38, conspired "to cover up her death".

Both deny perverting the course of justice.

Cambridge Crown Court has heard that Bernadette was last seen when Mr Walker collected her from his parents' house in Peterborough.

Her body has not been found and she is presumed dead, prosecutors have said.

Jurors have previously heard that on 16 July, the photography student told her mother Mr Walker "had been sexually abusing her over a number of years".

Prosecutors allege he killed her to "prevent her pursuing her allegations of sexual abuse any further".

The court heard part of a call made by Ms Walker to police non-emergency number 101 on 22 July, four days after Bernadette was last seen, when she asked if it was advisable to put an appeal over her disappearance on Facebook.

She repeatedly mentioned sexual abuse claims Bernadette had made about Mr Walker and told the call handler Bernadette later admitted lying about the allegations.

Bernadette is presumed dead, prosecutors say

Later that evening GPS tracked Mr Walker to a local lock-up, where he was for 25 minutes, during which time he spent 12 minutes on phone to Ms Walker.

At about 22:00 BST Ms Walker then did a Google search for "I think my partner knows where my missing child is".

The court heard she repeatedly logged into and out of Bernadette's Facebook account to "check for activity".

Jurors also heard Ms Walker told a friend in a message "I'm not going to be controlled by Scott anymore" and "I'm going to tell the police he made me delete messages".

Bernadette's body has not been found despite police searches, jurors have heard

On 24 July, Ms Walker sent a message to her current partner about Mr Walker, saying: "I'm not 100% convinced about his story."

She then did multiple Google searches for "how to track a mobile phone", "how to track a mobile phone's location" and for a second time "I think my partner knows where my missing child is".

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

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

The trial continues.