Man Charged in Waterlooville Murder and Rape Case

Stephen Sexton, 37, has been charged with the rape and murder of his girlfriend Joanna Derkacz, also 37, after her body was found at their shared home in Waterlooville, Hampshire, on December 28, 2023. Sexton, a marine engineer, had previously faced charges of coercive or controlling behavior against Derkacz, whom he allegedly controlled for 16 months before her death. The new charges followed expert evidence from a Home Office post-mortem. Hampshire Constabulary has referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct due to prior contact with Derkacz before her death. Tributes from family and friends described her as a 'sweet angel' and a fundraiser raised over £12,000 to return her body to her hometown of Czarne, Poland. Sexton is scheduled to appear at Southampton Magistrates Court.