Thank you, SM!
I couldn't find the footage, so that helps enormously.
I am curious as to exactly how they were intending to proceed, because without a detailed statement of complaint from Bernadette, where did the evidence come from? Certainly not Bernadette, and there was nothing forensically at that stage, or indeed since.
What it *did* do was get Scott into custody, and enable post-arrest searches.
Bernadette had told friends online.
Bernadette sent messages to her mum.
Sarah messaged Bernadette on 17th to say she was taking Scott into the police station to report the allegations.
Sarah told Scott's step-mother JW that she had made allegations, and Bernadette had told JW it was the truth.
Sarah and Scott self-reported to police on 22nd July, saying the allegations were false.
Sarah's boyfriend knew Bernadette had made allegations because he knew Sarah was angry about it.
Scott told officers before his arrest that two of Bernadette's brothers were aware of her allegations.
One of the allegations was to do with cameras Scott had set up to record Bernadette. He didn't deny it in court, so they must have had proof he couldn't refute.
Police also saw him deleting things from his phone he admitted he didn't want anyone to see.
With the alleged victim, a minor, disappeared since she made the allegations, and her parents admissions that allegations were made, I'd say police had grounds to make an arrest on suspicion of sexual assault.
It's a shame whoever made the charging decisions didn't pursue the charges, based on all of the above, as well as Bernadette's diary, the parents admitting they used her phone because they didn't want social services to investigate, and based on the motive for murder.
moo