Girl murdered in lorry may have been sexually assaulted

The nine-year-old girl who was found strangled in her mother's boyfriend's lorry might have been sexually assaulted, police said today.

Stacey Lawrence was found dead on Saturday in the cab of a white Spar lorry in Northamptonshire.

Her mother's partner Darren Walker, 40, is believed to have murdered Stacey then hanged himself from a tree in nearby woodland.

Detective Chief Inspector Tricia Kirk, of Northamptonshire Police, said today that police could not rule out that there was some sexual touching involved in the incident that led to her death.

Speaking at a press conference at Northamptonshire Police headquarters, Ms Kirk said nine-year-old Stacey was the youngest of four children, described by her mother Roxanne as a very popular girl at school, artistic with a lively imagination, who loved animals and hoped to become a zoo keeper.

Ms Kirk also revealed that Walker had previously been involved in an assault on his wife of three years and was being divorced by her.

She said: "He was cautioned for that offence [in 2006] and we have no other criminal records for him."

Ms Kirk told the press conference they were making enquiries, with the help of West Midlands Police, to find other previous partners of Walker.