Murdered by her ex: What happened to Sarah Henshaw?
Last Night OutOn 20th June 2023, a regular evening in Ilkeston soon went downhill. That night, 31-year-old Sarah Henshaw ended her relationship with carpet-fitter Darren Hall. An intense argument erupted when Hall let himself into her home using an old key.
Later that evening, a loud bang was reported inside Sarah’s house on Norman Street. This was the last time anyone saw her alive.
Hall later told friends that Sarah had walked out that evening, and he claimed he had no idea where she’d gone. He didn’t report her missing. Instead, he returned to her home to carry out a chilling clean-up: disposing of her dressing gown and slippers in a local skip. The shocking case features in Last Night Out, a new series available now on Crime+Investigation.
Join us as we delve into the days leading up to Sarah’s murder, her convicted ex-partner, and the motive behind this brutal attack.
A volatile relationship
Sarah and Darren met in 2011 and had a turbulent relationship. Though they officially split in 2017, they rekindled their relationship briefly in 2022 – but by June 2023, things had turned sour again.
Tensions escalated when Sarah asked him to surrender the key to her house, but he refused. That evening, she again demanded he leave – an instruction he did not follow.
It was after that confrontation that things went from bad to worse. Evidence suggests that Sarah suffered bruising to her neck 'about the width of a dressing-gown cord', which the court interpreted as a strong indicator of strangulation.
The mix of emotions, control and unresolved relationship issues culminated in this tragic attack.
Covering tracks
Where was Sarah? And why had she disappeared?
For three days, her ex-partner maintained that Sarah had 'disappeared'. His phone records, however, told a different story. He’d travelled north on the M1 in the early hours of 21st June, stopping at a remote lay-by on the A617 for nine minutes – his phone switching its torch on and off during that time.
A few days later, on 25th June, a search of that lay-by uncovered Sarah’s decomposed body in nearby woodland, five metres from the road. Hall’s silence when questioned about her discovery further raised suspicion.
Meanwhile, he’d been sending text messages from Sarah’s phone to her friends, creating the illusion she was still alive – and discarding her phone in a hurry. Later, Hall confessed to disposing of her items, including her slippers and dressing gown.
Breaking point: The investigation
Police launched a full murder investigation after three days of no contact from Sarah. Officers forced entry into her home and arrested Hall on 23rd June.
In his initial interview, he claimed he had no idea where Sarah was and hoped she was still alive.
But soon things started to unravel…
Phone data, CCTV and his contradictory accounts mounted, Hall’s story started to come undone very quickly.
Forensics failed to support his claim that Sarah had fallen down the stairs – there were no injuries consistent with a fall, only evidence pointing to strangulation.
His attempts to explain away the deep bruising as accidental were dismissed by investigators, and the prosecution argued convincingly that he had intentionally killed her and then attempted to hide the crime.
The verdict
During his trial at Derby Crown Court, Hall finally admitted dumping Sarah’s body but denied murdering her – he claimed he 'panicked' after she allegedly fell. The jury, however, saw the lies and inconsistencies for what they were.
'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.' Mr Justice Gross said of Hall during the trial.
After just over four hours of deliberation, the jury found him guilty of her murder. The judge sentenced him to life in prison, with a minimum term of 17 years before parole eligibility.
Sarah’s legacy
Sarah’s family spoke with profound emotion. Her sister, Kelsie, described her as 'bubbly and mischievous', someone who always put others first, calling Hall a 'cruel, selfish man'.
Their mother poignantly said, 'All Sarah ever wanted was stability and to settle down with a partner who loved her.'
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