Sarah Henshaw death: Man guilty of murdering ex-partner and dumping body

Sarah Henshaw's body was found dead six days after going missing

A man has been found guilty of murdering his former partner and dumping her body by a lay-by near the M1 motorway.

Darren Hall killed 31-year-old Sarah Henshaw at her home in Norman Street, Ilkeston, Derbyshire, during an argument.

He disposed of her body in woodland by the A617 near Chesterfield, Derby Crown Court heard.

Ms Henshaw's body was found six days after she went missing on 20 June.

Hall had lied to friends, family and the police that she had gone missing before her body was found.

'Covering his tracks'

Prosecutors told the trial the 36-year-old carpet fitter had killed Ms Henshaw during an argument and "callously dumped" her body.

Jurors were told he had entered the house in Norman Street using his key while Ms Henshaw was out and stayed despite multiple requests for him to leave.

Phone data then showed Hall travelling to and returning from the lay-by in the early hours of 21 June, stopping for nine minutes, prosecutor Michelle Heeley KC said.

Before his arrest on 23 June, Hall was also seen disposing of her belongings including her dressing gown and her slippers in a skip and at a recycling centre, which Ms Heeley told jurors was him "covering his tracks" through "calculated and controlled" actions.

The trial was told Ms Henshaw was found with bruising on her neck "about the width of a dressing gown cord".

Jurors took just over three hours to unanimously convict Hall of murder on Friday.

He is due to be sentenced on Tuesday.

'Dangerous individual'

The trial had heard how Hall was "physically abusive" to Ms Henshaw during their turbulent relationship, which had ended by the time of her death.

Jurors were told he had attacked her following an N-Dubz concert a few months before she died.

In court, Hall admitted dumping Ms Henshaw's body but claimed he had panicked after she accidentally fell down the stairs during an argument.

But officers found no forensic evidence of Ms Henshaw falling down the stairs, no injuries consistent with a fall and Hall provided no credible explanation as to why he did not seek immediate medical help for her.

Following the verdict, Det Insp Maria Pleace, the investigating officer for Derbyshire Police, said: "Darren Hall is a manipulative, deceiving and dangerous individual.

"Thankfully the jury saw through his lies and have rightly found him guilty.

"Today, as they have been throughout this case, my thoughts are with Sarah's family and friends.

"They have lost a much-loved niece, daughter, sister, mother and friend in the most heart-breaking circumstances and I hope that this verdict provides them with the justice they, and Sarah, deserve."