A single mother of three teenagers Mel, Sophie, and Justin, Liz spent most of her life trying to maintain the peace between her offspring, after their father committed suicide. Liz had a difficult relationship with her stepdaughter Darlene, made worse when Darlene found out that her brother Ali had stabbed school bully Stephen "Macki" Mackintosh to death, but told the police that she suspected Liz's son Justin of being the killer. Darlene changed her testimony in court, which contributed towards Justin being acquitted of killing Macki and Liz was grateful to Darlene for this.