Man guilty of murdering ex-partner and dumping body by M1

A carpet fitter was found guilty of murdering his ex-girlfriend and dumping her body next to a lay-by near a motorway.

A jury found today that Darren Hall, 36, killed Sarah Henshaw at her home in Ilkeston, Derbyshire, during an argument.

He then disposed of her body in woodland near a lay-by on the westbound A617 near Chesterfield, 20 miles away.

Hall initially claimed to friends, family and the police that Ms Henshaw had gone missing before her body was found on 26 June.

Ms Henshaw, who was 31-years-old, was last seen alive near her home on 20 June.

Hall was arrested on 23 June, and charged with murder on 28 June.

Bruising on Ms Henshaw’s neck was “about the width of a dressing gown cord”, prosecutors told Hall’s trial at Derby Crown Court.

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They also told the trial that Hall had killed Ms Henshaw during an argument and “callously dumped” her body near the lay-by.

Hall 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 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.

“This was a well-chosen, well-thought-out spot, hoping that she would not be found,” she added.

Before his arrest, Hall was also seen disposing of her belongings including her dressing gown and slippers in a skip and at a recycling centre.

Ms Heeley told jurors the act showed him “covering his tracks” through “calculated and controlled” actions.

Jurors also heard evidence of how Hall was “physically abusive” to Ms Henshaw during their relationship, which had ended by the time of her death.

Prosecutors said they could not be sure how Ms Henshaw died due to her body having decomposed.

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In his evidence, Hall, of Rodney Way, Ilkeston, claimed that Ms Henshaw died by inadvertently falling down the stairs.

He then said he “just panicked” when he moved her body to the lay-by, adding there was “no real, reasonable reason” why he did.

The carpet fitter also admitted using Ms Henshaw’s phone to text her friend and disposing of her possessions to make others believe that she was alive and had gone missing voluntarily.

He said in his evidence that he was “not thinking right” at the time.

Mr Justice Goss said: “Darren Hall you have been convicted by the jury of murder.

“As you will know, the sentence of the court will have to be imprisonment for life, but I have to consider the minimum term before which you could be considered eligible for parole.”

Sentencing has been adjourned until 10.30am on Tuesday 19 December.

The judge also thanked the jury for their service, which he said they performed “diligently and conscientiously”, taking just over three hours to unanimously convict him after a two-week trial.

After the verdict, DI Maria Pleace, who led the investigation for Derbyshire Constabulary, 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.

“I want to thank them for their steadfastness over the past months and for the support they have provided to the investigation team – a team that have worked tirelessly to build a case that led the jury to today’s verdict.”

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