Derbyshire man who dumped ex-partner's body in Chesterfield lay-by guilty of murder

Darren Hall, 36, denied murder but was found guilty today (Friday) by a jury after a two-week trial.

During his trial Derby Crown Court heard how on June 21 this year at around 1.56am Hall drove his works van to a lay-by on the A617.

Police analysed his phone records which showed he was there for nine minutes before returning to his estranged partner Sarah Henshaw’s home address in Ilkeston.

Ms Henshaw’s body was found in woodland near the lay-by days later on June 26.

A jury at Derby Crown Court trial heard Hall killed Ms Henshaw between June 20 and June 22 this year after an argument broke out between them at her address.

Jurors heard how Hall "dumped” her body just hours after he had killed her.

During the days that followed he sent messages from her phone and threw her clothes in a skip to make it appear as though she had left and “cover his tracks”, the court heard.

Hall never reported Ms Henshaw missing, however police were alerted three days after her June 20 disappearance.

When Hall was arrested on June 23 he claimed his ex-partner’s death was “accidental”, having fallen down some stairs.

The court heard Ms Henshaw, 31, had been in a relationship with Hall “for some years” before she disappeared on June 20.

However it was “not a happy relationship” and characterised by “separation and reconciliation”.

Ms Heeley said friends and family had previously seen Ms Henshaw with injuries “caused at the hands” of Hall.

On June 20 – when the couple were already separated – they were seen arguing by one of Ms Henshaw’s friends.

Hall, jurors heard, no longer lived with Ms Henshaw, however he still had a key – which Ms Henshaw wanted back – and “refused to leave”.

The last time Ms Henshaw was seen alive was 6.33pm the same day at a One Stop shop, where she bought some carrots and a tub of butter.

In the early hours of the next day – around 1.50am – a neighbour heard “banging” and then saw Hall at the back of his works van.

After texting Ms Henshaw to ask if she was Ok, she received a reply from Ms Henshaw’s phone “yes, everything Ok".

Prosecutor Michelle Heeley told jurors it was the defendant who had replied – that he was using Sarah Henshaw’s phone and she was already dead.

She said: "He was already covering up what he had done. Thereafter her phone was turned off.” The phone was never recovered, the court heard.

Jurors heard Ms Henshaw’s body was found by police “decomposed”, having been “attacked by animals” and the prosecution could not say “exactly how she died”.

However bruising was found on her neck and clavicle.

Ms Heeley added: “He says she died accidentally during the course of an argument – if it was accidental he had multiple opportunities to call police and explain himself.

"The reality is the defendant murdered Sarah Henshaw and disposed of her body. He spent the next few days disposing of her personal items.

"The defendant’s actions killed her and he set about covering up his tracks.”

DI Maria Pleace, who led the investigation, said: “Darren Hall is a manipulative, deceiving and dangerous individual.

“Only two people know what exactly happened that night. Sarah cannot tell us, and Hall refuses to give a factual account of the events.

“What we can be sure of is that Sarah’s life ended at his hand, that he dumped her body in the hope that she would never be found and then fabricated a story that Sarah had simply left.

“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.”

Hall will be sentenced on Tuesday next week.