'The hatred we felt for him was unbelievable' - Lindsay Birbeck's family say they'll never be able to rebuild their lives

In a documentary aired on Saturday night, Lindsay's ex-husband, Tim Birbeck and his daughter, Sarah, spoke about the nightmare they were forced to endure after Lindsay, from Accrington, was murdered by then 16-year-old, Rocky Price.

The documentary, part of the third series of Britain's Deadliest Kids, was broadcast on Quest Red at 10pm, and focused on the police investigation at the time of her disappearance, which ultimately led detectives to launch a murder enquiry, after the 47-year-old's body was found in a shallow grave in Accrington Cemetery, 12 days after she went missing.

In the show, Tim and Sarah spoke of the callous and upsetting rumours that were circulating on social media, which pointed the blame at her ex-husband, effectively labelling him as a suspect, as well as the absolute hell they went through during the trial.

Tim said: "Obviously police were asking the questions because I was the ex-husband, so you'd have to be a fool not to think you're being looked at, which they were."

Police spoke to Tim's employers to help build a picture of his movements on the day she disappeared, with criminologist, Professor David Wilson, saying it was perfectly normal when something like that happens for the police to suspect it must have been someone close to her that's committed the crime.

However, Det Supt Andy Cribbin said Tim was never a suspect.

He told the viewers that Tim's movements were accounted for on the day she went missing, and extensive investigations were made as to the whereabouts of several other people in her life, which discounted them from their enquiries.

Det Supt Cribbin said: "Tim was one of the people who fell within the police enquiries but there was nothing whatsoever to show that Tim Birbeck could've been involved in Lindsay's disappearance and actually, we could show he was elsewhere throughout the time Lindsay went missing."

Twelve days after Lindsay went missing, her body was found in Accrington Cemetery, and just a few days later, police charged teenager, Rocky Price, with her murder after his family brought him into the police station due to recognising him from a police appeal.

Tim, and Sarah, now 19, also spoke of the moment they came face to face with Price in the courtroom during his trial at Preston Crown Court last year.

Tim said: "His body language was slouched in his chair with his hands in his pockets.

"We hated being in the same room as him. The hatred we felt for him was unbelievable. To see him with that attitude made it worse."

Sarah said: "He came across like he had no respect for anyone in that room.

"He was slouched, he had no emotion on his face at all."

Price was found guilty after just three hours of deliberations and as soon as the verdict came back, Lindsay's family felt overwhelming relief, but said they don't think they'll ever have any insight into why Price did what he did.

Price's family still haven't accepted the fact their son was responsible for Lindsay's murder, and during the documentary, it was revealed how rumours circulating on social media blamed Tim for her death.

Sarah said: "There's a lot of people on social media thinking my dad's involved with it. Because obviously they've gone through a divorce and people look at that and think they must have hated each other. They clearly didn't."

Tim said: "The police kept saying to me, 'just ignore them Tim and they'll go away', but they do chip away at you. It does hurt you.

"We've been through absolute hell regarding this, then you've got to deal with these people who are pointing fingers. It's despicable.

"I just want people to understand there's still a family picking up the pieces and trying to rebuild."

A tearful Sarah added: "I don't think it will be possible to rebuild, after this. Because, like most mums in most families, they are a big person to have in your life, so it's hard not to have her there.

"She was such a kind, caring person, who wished nothing bad on anybody.

"With Rocky being on the spectrum and mum liking to help people on the spectrum who needed extra help, it's hard to think mum would've helped him in any way she could, and he's murdered her."