Reflections 2016: Neil Rhodes – My last Christmas as Chief Constable
Now that the festive period is upon us it is time to pause, draw breath and reflect on our journey over the last year. This year the force has faced many challenges – a triple shooting, a double murder conviction, 59 fatalities on our roads. It’s clear there have been plenty of examples of policing…
Chief Constable Neil Rhodes. Photo: The Lincolnite
Now that the festive period is upon us it is time to pause, draw breath and reflect on our journey over the last year.
This year the force has faced many challenges – a triple shooting, a double murder conviction, 59 fatalities on our roads. It’s clear there have been plenty of examples of policing at its finest, and toughest.
The quality, dedication and sometimes sheer bravery of our people – police officers, PCSOs, special constabulary officers, police staff and volunteers, and of the people we come into contact with just takes your breath away.
So very often great work can go unnoticed and unremarked.
That was not the case at our annual recognition awards ceremony held last month.
We presented Royal Humane Society awards to two members of the public who courageously rescued an unconscious man from a fiercely burning car.
We heard about tremendous work done in our community by one PCSO with really good results.
We recognised a long service officer for professionalism and exceptional personal tenacity that landed a protracted drugs case.
We were moved by the story of a young Police Support Volunteer, who overcame personal challenges to put a massive amount of time into assisting her local CID.
And, we acknowledged the work of a Special Constabulary manager for pulling together a series of operations in partnership with one of our Neighbourhood Policing Teams.
We have always been a force that performs under pressure and the HMIC report on efficiency found just that.
We have done all we can do to bridge the funding gap especially in collaboration. Our East Midlands’ shared services are an example of best practice for the country, placing us in a key position to take up the gauntlet with blue light integration.
By next year, Lincolnshire will see fire, ambulance and police sharing buildings in what I believe will be a model for the future.
I have seen these changes as Chief Constable knowing that they were only possible because of the hardworking team of people willing to make that change for the better.
It all comes down to providing the very best response we can to the person facing a crisis at that point in time.
It is vital for that person, but also important for my officers, who then get the recognition they deserve rather than the criticism they face for failing to meet expectations because of the restrictions the budget places on us.
The festive period is a wonderful time for most of us, but it is also a time when the complexities and challenges of life and humanity are often magnified.
Our police officers and staff who are on duty are often the people who deal with that and we need to spare a thought for them.
This will be my last Christmas as Chief Constable. In February Bill Skelly will travel from Exeter in Devon to make his home in this county and lead this proud force.
If he gets a fraction of the satisfaction and joy that I have had from being part of the family that is Lincolnshire Police since I first joined as a constable, almost 31 years ago back in 1986, he will be a very lucky man.
It seems fitting that one of my final projects will be the completion of our memorial garden which pays tribute to those who have died in service and reminds us of the principles of policing set out by Robert Peel.
His idea that the police should gain the approval of the public was once novel but is now fully integrated in everything we do.
This was funded by a donation from a member of the public.
Val Hills’ approval was such that she left her life savings to Lincolnshire Police.
I hope she approves now of what we have been able to achieve with her money.
Remembering and celebrating the service; good people doing good work.
So, finally, I will close by saying I hope that for all of us – especially those on duty over the festive period – Christmas and New Year are both safe and peaceful.
Neil Rhodes is the Chief Constable of Lincolnshire Police. The role marks the culmination of his police career which began when he joined Lincolnshire in 1986. During 15 years with Lincolnshire Police he progressed from Constable to Superintendent, working across the county as a patrol officer, a detective and in roads policing before joining Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary at superintendent rank.
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A 22-year-old man has been charged with the murder of 46-year-old Darren Munnelly in Lincoln on Saturday night.
The victim was found fatally injured outside a flat on Carr Street in Lincoln at 12.18am on Sunday, July 26.
Darren Munnelly, 46, suffered a head injury and could not be saved by emergency services after being taken to hospital.
Declan Grant, 22, of St Mary’s Street, Lincoln, was arrested shortly after the incident and has now been charged with murder.
He has been remanded in custody and will appear at Lincoln Magistrates Court on Tuesday, July 27.
A host of floral tributes have been placed outside the flats where Darren was found, a man who was described as a “legend” of Lincoln.
Tributes for Darren on Carr Street in Lincoln. | Photo: The Lincolnite
DCI Richard Myszczyszyn, of EMSOU Major Crime, said: “Our work is ongoing to ensure we get justice for Mr Munnelly and our investigation does not end here.
“His life was ended in a devastating act of violence and the effect that has had on his loved ones will change the courses of their lives forever.
“We work hard to try and make sure we’re doing all we can to do right by his family and friends, and to do right by him.
“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the public for their help. A huge part of police work relies on the information and intelligence our communities give us and our Lincoln communities have really come through for us as we launched this investigation. It really is appreciated.”
There have been 379 new cases of coronavirus confirmed on Monday in Lincolnshire, as government ministers stopped short of ruling out COVID vaccine requirements for students attending university.
The government’s COVID-19 dashboard on Monday reported 235 new cases in Lincolnshire, 88 in North East Lincolnshire and 56 in North Lincolnshire. The figure is 41% lower than last Monday’s 652 cases.
NHS figures have reported one further hospital death in Lincolnshire’s hospitals. Government figures, meanwhile, showed no further updates to their deaths data.
Number 10 has confirmed it is still looking at the scope for vaccination certifications, including the potential for compulsory vaccinations for students.
It could mean young people would need to be double-jabbed to attend lectures and stay in halls this coming academic year.
Lincolnshire’s coronavirus cases up to July 26.
A spokesman from the Prime Minister’s office, however, said more and more young people were coming forward to receive the vaccine.
“We would like to see everybody who is invited to come forward and receive the vaccination to do so. That’s the message we continue to try and give to young people.”
The plans, however, have been criticised by groups including Labour and the University and College Union.
Labour has also said it would oppose limiting access to Premier League games to double-jabbed fans.
University students could soon need to be double-jabbed.
The Prime Minister’s office said that despite the number of cases falling nationally, the country was “not out of the woods”.
The spokesman said people should “expect to see a rise in case numbers given the move to step four” of the roadmap.
There are a number of reasons put forward for the fall in case numbers, including a bounce caused by people gathering to watch the Euros, fewer people taking COVID tests and the hot temperatures.
Meanwhile, a survey of 5,000 by Public Health England revealed that more than 40% of adults in England could have gained weight during the pandemic, around half a stone.
Also, a YouGov survey has also revealed that mask wearing among younger people has decreased since Freedom Day.
The results found that 46% of 18-24-year-olds said they wore a face mask in public spaces in the week to July 19, compared to 57% on July 16 and 64% on June 2.
In general, 69% of people said they wore face masks in the last two weeks, down from 71% on July 16 and 73% on June 2.
Coronavirus data for Greater Lincolnshire on Monday, July 26
78,586 cases (up 379)
51,252 in Lincolnshire (up 235)
12,141 in North Lincolnshire (up 56)
15,193 in North East Lincolnshire (up 88)
2,206 deaths (no change)
1,628 from Lincolnshire (no change)
303 from North Lincolnshire (no change)
275 from North East Lincolnshire (no change)
of which 1,321 hospital deaths (up one)
820 at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (up one)
43 at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals (no change)
1 at Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust (no change)
457 in Northern Lincolnshire (NLAG) (no change)
5,722,298 UK cases, 129,172 deaths
DATA SOURCE — FIGURES CORRECT AT THE TIME OF THE LATEST UPDATE. POSTCODE DATA INCLUDES DEATHS NOT IN HEALTHCARE FACILITIES OR IN HOSPITALS OUTSIDE AUTHORITY BOUNDARIES.
A man has been found guilty of murdering his stepdaughter after she made sexual abuse allegations against him, despite her body never being found after extensive searches, including in Lincolnshire.
Scott Walker was found guilty of killing 17-year-old Bernadette Walker after a six-week trial at Cambridge Crown Court, and Bernadette’s mother Sarah was found guilty of two counts of perverting the course of justice.
It is still not known where Bernadette, or Bea as she was known, was killed, but her last confirmed sighting was when Scott picked her up from his parents’ home in Werrington, Peterborough on Saturday, July 18, 2020.
She was at Scott’s parents after allegations she had made the previous day against him, in which she accused the man she called “dad” of sexual abuse, though he wasn’t her biological father.
Scott and his former partner Sarah, Bernadette’s mother, deceived friends, family and the police force by laying false trails to suggest that Bea was actually still alive and had run away from home.
The jury was told that Bea’s mother had not reported her missing to police until July 21, three days after her last confirmed sighting.
Scott claimed he stopped the car on their way back from his parents’ home to speak about the allegations made by Bernadette, but she got out the car and ran away down Skaters Way, leaving her rucksack behind.
Despite this claim, police discovered that Scott had not been to collect Bernadette from his parents house straight away the morning after the allegations.
He had instead gone to a lock-up garage owned by his parents in Walton, and it was not the only time he visited this location in the days after Bea was reported missing.
The lock-up garage in Walton was owned by Scott’s parents, but he regularly went there after Bernadette was reported missing. | Photo: Cambridgeshire Police
Scott’s mobile phone activated cell sites in the Dogsthorpe and Gunthorpe areas, both in the opposite direction, and at just before 11.30am it disconnected from the network and didn’t reconnect for an hour-and-a-half.
After reconnecting his phone, Scott’s first call was to Bea’s mother Sarah, whom he called for nine minutes.
In the 48 hours following this phone call, both Scott and Sarah made multiple trips to the lock-up in Walton, as well as in a rural area of Cowbit, Lincolnshire, in the night.
Bea’s social media accounts had their passwords changed and messages were sent to friends and family to make it look as though she’d run away from home.
Sarah Walker had previously admitted to perverting the course of justice by sending messages from Bea’s phone and providing false information to police, but claimed to not know that Bea was dead.
Now she has been found guilty of the same charge, only this time admitted the knowledge of Bernadette being dead with the intention to cover up sexual allegations against Scott.
The sexual abuse allegations were passed on to police by a social worker on July 22.
Then on September 10, Scott was arrested for the sexual abuse allegation and reports of coercively controlling Sarah, before a murder enquiry was launched the day after.
Bernadette’s rucksack was found inside the lock-up garage that Scott and Sarah regularly visited after Bea’s ‘disappearance’. | Photo: Cambridgeshire Police
Police investigated the lock-up and found Bea’s rucksack in it, which had a diary inside with harrowing extracts discussing her treatment after telling her parents about the abuse.
It read: “Told my mum and dad about the abuse. She called me a liar and threatened to kill me if I told the police. What kind of parent wouldn’t believe their daughter?”
An extract from Bernadette’s diary, where she talks about telling her parents about the abuse. | Photo: Cambridgeshire Police
Despite extensive searches across the country from specially trained officers, Bea’s whereabouts remain a mystery to this day.
Detective Inspector Justine Jenkins, from the Beds, Cambs and Herts Major Crime Unit, said: “I am pleased we have been able to get justice for Bea after what has been such tragic circumstances.
“I just hope now we may get the answers we need to be able to find her and lay her to rest. If anyone has any information about this investigation which may help us find Bea, please get in touch.
“We may never know the truth about what Scott did and why, but we do know Bea had made allegations of abuse against him.
“My plea to anyone who may have been subjected to abuse is to speak to us. Bea thought she could confide in her own mother, who should have been able to protect her, but instead she met a tragic end.”
Both Scott and Sarah Walker will be sentenced at Cambridge Crown Court on September 10.
Anyone with information that may help uncover Bernadette Walker’s whereabouts should be reported to Cambridgeshire Police either online or by calling 101.
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