DARREN WALKER IN BILSTON INVOLVED IN TRAGIC CHILD'S DEATH AND SUICIDE CASE IN 2010

In February 2010, a tragic incident unfolded involving Darren Walker, a lorry driver from Bilston, who took his own life following the sexual assault and subsequent death of his fiancée’s nine-year-old daughter, Stacey Lawrence. An inquest revealed that Stacey's partially clothed body was discovered in the cab of Walker's white Spar lorry after a delivery trip. Walker, aged 40, had previously expressed to his partner Roxanne Lawrence that he would ‘rather kill himself than go to prison,’ and was found hanging from a tree in nearby woodland.

During the inquest, coroner Anne Pember read a statement from Ms. Lawrence, detailing Walker’s prior intentions of suicide to avoid incarceration. Ms. Lawrence, who was engaged to Walker since September 2008, did not attend the hearing at Kettering Magistrates’ Court in Northamptonshire.

The events leading up to the tragedy began on August 28, when Walker took Stacey on a delivery run to Warmington, Northamptonshire. Stacey, who had accompanied Walker on trips before, was affectionately nicknamed the ‘baby trucker’ by her mother, who has three other children. The family became alarmed when they did not return from their scheduled trip on that Friday night.

The company Af Blakemore, where Walker was employed, used a tracking device, which led to the discovery of the lorry parked in a layby on the A605. Post-mortem reports indicated Stacey had been strangled with a black fabric ligature—possibly a strap—before Walker hanged himself using the same material. Although she had been sexually assaulted, there was no conclusive evidence of rape.

In her statement, Ms. Lawrence described Walker as ‘laid back,’ noting he had a previous criminal record for assaulting his estranged wife. She recounted that he had once ‘snapped’ and smashed a car window after discovering he had slept with his ex. Despite this, she said she had never been worried about his interactions with her children. She recalled that if Stacey called for a towel while in the shower, Walker would ensure a female family member provided it.

Ms. Lawrence explained that Stacey became interested in her father’s work and wanted to accompany him on deliveries, which he agreed to. Walker was reportedly concerned about how others might perceive Stacey sleeping overnight in the lorry, and she said he asserted he slept fully clothed in the passenger seat while Stacey stayed in the cab.

The last communication from Darren Walker and Stacey was on the Friday before their disappearance, with Ms. Lawrence stating, ‘There were no issues raised during the conversation,’ but when she didn’t hear from them the following morning, she grew increasingly worried. She eventually contacted Walker’s employer, leading to efforts to locate the vehicle.

Ms. Lawrence expressed her devastation, saying, ‘I can’t believe on that Friday morning Darren left our family home as the man I loved and by Saturday he was the man responsible for my nine-year-old daughter’s death. I am shocked that the man I was intending to marry could have done this. I hate Darren for what he has done to me and my family.’ She also reflected on their initial relationship, noting her surprise at Walker’s openness about his sex life with his former wife, which she initially found inappropriate.

Their relationship deepened after both of their previous relationships ended in March 2008, with Walker staying at her home in West Bromwich several nights per week. Ms. Lawrence described him as ‘a very romantic person’ who enjoyed family outings and trips. She stated that she believed Walker to be ‘a family man’ and described her previous perception of him as ‘brilliant’ with her children.

However, she concluded with a stark statement, ‘The man that I loved is not the man who did this. This is not the man we knew. Obviously the man who did this is an animal. No sane-minded person could do that to an adult or a child.’ The case remains one of profound tragedy and shock for the community.