Bernadette Walker murder: Family 'kept going to police'

Anthony Walker said the family made allegations about Scott Walker before he was arrested on suspicion of killing Bernadette

The brother of a teenage girl murdered by their stepdad said the family "kept going to the police" about his violent behaviour.

Scott Walker of Peterborough has been jailed for life for murdering Bernadette Walker, 17, after she accused him of years of sexual abuse.

Anthony Walker said their father "didn't deserve to get out of prison".

Police said none of his previous convictions raised safeguarding concerns.

Scott Walker, 51, was not Bernadette's biological parent, although his trial heard she called him her dad.

He has been told he must serve at least 32 years in jail.

Cambridge Crown Court heard that he probably strangled Bernadette, then conspired with her mother, Sarah Walker, to dispose of the remains and cover up her death.

The pair hacked into the photography student's email accounts and used her phone to send a string of messages to try to make police and others think she was still alive.

Bernadette Walker was killed by the man she called "Dad", prosecutors said

Anthony, 21, said his stepfather had a history of attacking family members.

"He punched me in the stomach when I was like 18 or 19, but he used to only go for the younger ones because they couldn't open up about it properly," he said.

"He used to hit them and do all sorts - it was crazy.

"He'd try and emotionally abuse us and I hate to say this 'cos it makes me seem weak, but it did work on me a lot of the time.

"We were working as hard as we could to get him out of the house, but he was very persistent on staying and wouldn't leave."

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Scott Walker was convicted in 2002 for harassment and received a caution in 2008 for breach of a non-molestation order relating to a previous partner.

The BBC understands that in 2012 he was arrested for assaulting a boy, prompting an investigation by social services.

Peterborough City Council confirmed it had involvement with the family between 2010 and 2013 but "could not comment further".

Police have searched for Bernadette Walker in the Fens ditches and waterways around Peterborough

Just two days before she was last seen, Bernadette claimed Scott Walker had sexually abused her for years

He also attacked his partner Sarah according to Anthony.

"One time when I was younger, I walked in on him with a knife on my mum's arm and it was cut all the way down. I called the police, but he took the phone off me," he said.

In court, the jury heard that Sarah Walker told detectives Scott Walker had raped her, but it was understood there had been reports of such attacks much earlier.

"It never really went any further because every time the police came round, [Scott] would be in the room or around the corner, and she couldn't really say anything in case they took him away and brought him back because there wasn't enough proof," Anthony said.

Cambridgeshire Police said in May last year that a third party reported domestic abuse and historical rape, but the alleged victim did not disclose any offences.

Anthony Walker said family members tried to get Scott Walker out of the house

The force said none of Scott Walker's convictions suggested it "needed to put any safeguarding measures in place from a policing perspective".

Bernadette Walker's body has never been found, and the police said the investigation remained open.

The BBC can reveal detectives recently visited Scott Walker in prison, but that he refused to speak to them.

Anthony said: "I won't stop until I know the answer... I will still keep searching because she's out there and doesn't deserve to be lying in a ditch somewhere."