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Man arrested on suspicion of murdering Claudia Lawrence Man arrested on suspicion of murdering Claudia Lawrence
(about 4 hours later)
A man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering missing chef Claudia Lawrence. Police investigating the disappearance of York University chef Claudia Lawrence six years ago have arrested a man on suspicion of her murder.
The man, aged in his 50s and from the York area, was arrested on Monday, North Yorkshire police said. The man is in his 50s and from the York area, North Yorkshire police said. Searches are being carried out and are expected to continue for a number of days.
Lawrence was last seen six years ago on 18 March 2009. Her family have been informed of Monday’s arrest, days after the anniversary of her disappearance in 2009.
A police spokesman said searches were being carried out in relation to the York University chef’s disappearance and were expected to continue for a number of days. Urging people not to identify the arrested man, DS Dai Malyn said: “To ensure the investigation and legal process are not compromised or potentially damaged in any way during this critical phase in seeking the truth about Claudia’s disappearance, North Yorkshire police strongly advises the media and members of the public against identifying the man who has been arrested”.
He said Lawrence, who was 35 when she went missing, had not been found. Claudia, 35, was reported missing by her father after concerns were raised when she failed to turn up for her 6am shift at the university on 18 March 2009. No body has been found.
Lawrence’s family have been told about the arrest and are being supported by trained officers, police said. Police began reviewing the case in 2013 and have since carried out a number of searches, including a detailed re-examination of her home in the Heworth area of York, and a fingertip search of an alleyway that leads to the rear of the house.
DS Dai Malyn, of North Yorkshire police, urged people not to identify the arrested man. A 60-year-old man was arrested last year in connection with her disappearance but released without charge, while a 47-year-old man remains on bail on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.
He said: “To ensure the investigation and legal process are not compromised or potentially damaged in any way during this critical phase in seeking the truth about Claudia’s disappearance, North Yorkshire police strongly advises the media and members of the public against identifying the man who has been arrested. Malyn said he is actively pursuing new leads and his team has made “significant progress” since the case review. Some people locally knew her but had kept their relationship secret, while some deliberately lied about a number of issues concerning their association with Claudia, he said.
“This includes naming or publishing images of the man on traditional media platforms or social networking sites. Previously unseen CCTV footage of two people walking near her home on the evening she went missing was released by police last week.
“I urge everyone to show restraint and patience while we carry out these very important inquiries.” Her father, Peter, said he was encouraged by the continued police activity and hoped people with information would come forward.
He last spoke to his daughter on the phone. Speaking in York last week on the anniversary, he said: “To have had six years without her company, without her chat, her smile, her laugh, meeting her for a drink, days out and meals out – it tells. I just miss that companionship, that love, so much that it just really hurts so much.
“It galls me that someone out there knows what happened to Claudia but has not said anything.
“All we can hope is that we find out what happened to Claudia. If she was murdered, as the police believe, then I want to be able to bury her.”
Anyone with information that could assist the investigation can contact the police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.