Moving to Walford, Denise has a tempestuous encounter with Kevin Wicks (Phil Daniels); however, an attraction develops and they begin dating. Denise's former husband, Owen Turner (Lee Ross), an abusive alcoholic, tries to reunite with their daughter, Libby Fox (Belinda Owusu) and he later kidnaps her. He tries to drown himself and Libby but she recovers and Owen is arrested. Denise, who never knew her father but knows he played in a band called "The Five Hectors", thinks that Patrick Trueman (Rudolph Walker) may be her father as he was in the band but a DNA test proves that he is not. The band also consisted of Aubrey Valentine (Joseph Marcell), Cedric Lucas (Ram John Holder), Dwight and Earl. The identity of Denise's father is never discovered, but Aubrey also eliminates himself.