‘Monster’ who murdered his ex-girlfriend then dumped her body in layby near the M1 before sending texts from her phone to pretend she was still alive is jailed for 17 years

• Sarah Henshaw was found dead in a lay-by on June 26 after being murdered

By Elizabeth Haigh[1]

Published: 12:47, 19 December 2023 | Updated: 13:11, 19 December 2023

A 'monster' who murdered his ex-partner and dumped her body in a lay-by near the M1 has been jailed for a minimum of 17 years.

Carpet fitter Darren Hall was jailed for life for killing Sarah Henshaw, 31, and driving her body 20 miles before dumping it in woodland near the lay-by on the westbound A617 near Chesterfield, Derbyshire.

Hall, 36, attacked Ms Henshaw during an argument at her home in Norman Street, Ilkeston, on June 20.

Her body was not found until June 26.

He was found guilty of murder on Friday after a two-week trial at Derby Crown Court, which heard that bruising on Ms Henshaw's neck was 'about the width of a dressing gown cord'.

Sentencing him on Tuesday, Mr Justice Goss said: 'Sarah Henshaw was 31 years of age.

Sarah Henshaw, 31, was murdered during an argument with her ex-partner Darren Hall

Carpet fitter Darren Hall was jailed for life and must serve a minimum of 17 years

'She was a loud, outgoing and fun-loving person with an infectious laugh.

'The harm you have done and the suffering you have caused can never be undone by any sentence of this court.'

Hall was convicted after three hours of jury deliberation, with two jurors returning to watch the sentencing.

They were told during the trial that Hall and Ms Henshaw met in 2011 but had what the judge described as a 'volatile' relationship and had split up by the time of her death.

Prosecutor Michelle Heeley KC said that Hall kept a key to the house in Norman Street and let himself in on the afternoon of June 20 while Ms Henshaw was out.

Ms Henshaw had previously asked him to surrender his key and when she returned she asked Hall to leave, but he stayed at the property.

While the Crown said it did not know exactly how Ms Henshaw died, her body was 'callously dumped' near the lay-by on the night of June 20, with phone data showing that Hall stopped for nine minutes.

Hall used Ms Henshaw's phone after her death to text friends to suggest she was still alive, before throwing the device away.

In the days that followed he disposed of her belongings, including her dressing gown and slippers, at a recycling centre and a skip, to pretend she had gone missing.

He also told the same story to police before his arrest on June 23.

On Tuesday, Ms Heeley said Hall told a 'series of lies' against a 'background of domestic abuse'.

Defence KC Andrew Vout submitted that Hall 'deeply regretted and was very sorry for' dumping Ms Henshaw's body, describing the defendant's actions as 'plainly very wrong'.

Ms Henshaw was last seen alive near her home on June 20 and police found her body six days later

The mother-of-two was last seen at her home address in Norman Street, Ilkeston, Derbyshire, at about 9pm on June 20

Mr Justice Goss said that Hall had 'maintained the fiction' that he had not hurt Ms Henshaw.

He said: 'Having heard all the evidence, I am satisfied that there were earlier occasions in your relationship where you were violent to Sarah Henshaw and bruised her.

'Whatever arose that caused you to be violent in the bedroom, you attacked her and, although it could not be established by pathological evidence, you almost certainly strangled her.

'You then set about hastily doing what you could to prevent your crime being discovered.

'Consequently, you made mistakes which enabled careful detective work to reveal what you had done.'

He added: 'I can't accept that you have genuine remorse for killing her, as you still protest you did nothing to hurt her.

'I accept that there was no pre-meditation and you had no intention to kill, but you clearly ignored her screams and used sufficient force to cause her death.'

Hall, of Rodney Way, Ilkeston, said in his evidence that Ms Henshaw died after falling down the stairs but admitted moving her body and disposing of her possessions, claiming he 'just panicked'.

He trembled throughout the sentencing, appearing via video link from HMP Nottingham.

Ms Henshaw's relatives, who packed the public gallery throughout the trial, described her as 'bubbly and mischievous' in statements read to the court.

Kelsie Henshaw, Ms Henshaw's sister, described Hall as a 'cruel, selfish man' and said her sister's death meant 'the biggest piece of us is missing'.

She said: 'Sarah was really caring and would do anything to help anyone.

'We have nightmares about Darren Hall and how he murdered our lovely sister and the evil way he just dumped her body.

'Our hearts are broken forever.

We will always carry Sarah forward in our lives.'

Her mother, Lorraine Henshaw, said Hall was a 'monster' who disposed of Ms Henshaw's body like a 'piece of rubbish'.

She said: 'All Sarah ever wanted was stability and to settle down with a partner who loved her.

'To me, he [Darren Hall] is a monster who committed the most evil crime a person can do.'

Speaking after sentencing, Detective Inspector Maria Pleace, who led the investigation, said: 'Sarah was just 31 years old when Darren Hall made the decision to end her life.

'Paying tribute to her following her murder her family told of how kind she was and how she would always put others first.

'Sadly, this much-loved young woman had the misfortune to come into Darren Hall's orbit - not knowing the horrific actions that he was capable of.

'Hall has never given a true account of his actions that night and, rather than face the reality of what he had done, he did everything in his power to evade justice.

'In killing Sarah, he has devastated her family leaving them mourning the loss of a daughter, niece, sister, and friend.

'And to compound their loss Hall also stole their last chance to say goodbye to Sarah - his attempts to hide Sarah's body meant that, heartbreakingly, her family were unable to see her and say a final farewell.

'I hope that today's sentencing gives Sarah's family and friends the chance to close this chapter and begin the process of rebuilding their lives.'

Hall, who has no previous convictions, will serve his sentence minus the 173 days he has already spent in custody.

References

1. ^ Elizabeth Haigh (www.dailymail.co.uk)