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Charlene Downes murder: Police make fresh appeal after takeaway owner cleared of putting missing girl in kebabs
1 Nov 2013 12:55
A court was told Charlene was one of a number of young white girls who went to takeaways to have sex with older men
Still missing: Charlene Downes
Police have made a fresh appeal over the decade-long unsolved murder of a teenager feared to have been chopped into kebab meat.
Detectives are looking again at the cold case of Charlene Downes, last seen ten years ago this weekend, along with the similar disappearance of 15-year-old Paige Chivers four years later.
A dedicated unit has been set up in Blackpool, where both girls lived, to reinvestigate two of Lancashire’s biggest unsolved cases.
At the time Charlene went missing in November 2003, police believed she was part of a group of young teens performing sex acts for adults for money, gifts and booze around the resort.
As many as 100 men were suspects and many could have been involved in abusing her, detectives think.
Her mum Karen, 48, said today: “We will never have any closure until we know what happened to Charlene and because of that we are living in limbo.
"Hearing the news police thought she was dead was absolutely horrific. Charlene was a typical teenager.
"She was very close to her brother and sisters and when the police asked if she could have run away from home I knew she couldn’t have. She never would have.”
In 2007, two takeaway shop owners went on trial charged with Charlene’s murder with the prosecution claiming, based on secret recordings, her body was minced into kebabs.
Mystery disappearance: Charlene Downes
A first jury failed to reach a verdict while a retrial was scrapped and the men cleared after massive police failings were uncovered.
The investigation became notorious for gross mismanagement by Lancashire Police and ended up costing the taxpayer more than £6m - including £300,000 payouts to the suspects.
Disciplinary action against officers involved is still going on a decade later.
Retired detective Harry Court, who worked as a civilian investigator on the Downes murder, said he believes crucial lines of inquiry were never pursued because of “poor leadership” and “financial constraints”.
Mr Court said: “The bottom line is that no-one has been investigating the murder of two very vulnerable school girls.
"More time has been spent trying to pin the blame on the junior officers rather than continue with the inquiry.
“There are many suspects and leads which haven’t been explored because of poor leadership and cutting corners.
"In my opinion, they could bring to justice a large number of men involved in the exploitation of young girls – and the subsequent murders of Charlene and Paige.”
Paige ran away from home after a family argument in 2007. Police suspect she was groomed for sex and believe she was murdered but, like Charlene, no body has ever been found.
Assistant Chief Constable of Lancashire Andy Rhodes said: “There is nothing evidentially that links these cases at present although we would never rule it out but as with Charlene, I would also ask people to remember Paige and again, let us know if there’s anything they have been keeping to themselves about what happened to her.”
Anyone with information about either of these cases should call 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/charlene-downes-murder-police-make-2663184
1 Nov 2013 12:55
A court was told Charlene was one of a number of young white girls who went to takeaways to have sex with older men
Still missing: Charlene Downes
Police have made a fresh appeal over the decade-long unsolved murder of a teenager feared to have been chopped into kebab meat.
Detectives are looking again at the cold case of Charlene Downes, last seen ten years ago this weekend, along with the similar disappearance of 15-year-old Paige Chivers four years later.
A dedicated unit has been set up in Blackpool, where both girls lived, to reinvestigate two of Lancashire’s biggest unsolved cases.
At the time Charlene went missing in November 2003, police believed she was part of a group of young teens performing sex acts for adults for money, gifts and booze around the resort.
As many as 100 men were suspects and many could have been involved in abusing her, detectives think.
Her mum Karen, 48, said today: “We will never have any closure until we know what happened to Charlene and because of that we are living in limbo.
"Hearing the news police thought she was dead was absolutely horrific. Charlene was a typical teenager.
"She was very close to her brother and sisters and when the police asked if she could have run away from home I knew she couldn’t have. She never would have.”
In 2007, two takeaway shop owners went on trial charged with Charlene’s murder with the prosecution claiming, based on secret recordings, her body was minced into kebabs.
Mystery disappearance: Charlene Downes
A first jury failed to reach a verdict while a retrial was scrapped and the men cleared after massive police failings were uncovered.
The investigation became notorious for gross mismanagement by Lancashire Police and ended up costing the taxpayer more than £6m - including £300,000 payouts to the suspects.
Disciplinary action against officers involved is still going on a decade later.
Retired detective Harry Court, who worked as a civilian investigator on the Downes murder, said he believes crucial lines of inquiry were never pursued because of “poor leadership” and “financial constraints”.
Mr Court said: “The bottom line is that no-one has been investigating the murder of two very vulnerable school girls.
"More time has been spent trying to pin the blame on the junior officers rather than continue with the inquiry.
“There are many suspects and leads which haven’t been explored because of poor leadership and cutting corners.
"In my opinion, they could bring to justice a large number of men involved in the exploitation of young girls – and the subsequent murders of Charlene and Paige.”
Paige ran away from home after a family argument in 2007. Police suspect she was groomed for sex and believe she was murdered but, like Charlene, no body has ever been found.
Assistant Chief Constable of Lancashire Andy Rhodes said: “There is nothing evidentially that links these cases at present although we would never rule it out but as with Charlene, I would also ask people to remember Paige and again, let us know if there’s anything they have been keeping to themselves about what happened to her.”
Anyone with information about either of these cases should call 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/charlene-downes-murder-police-make-2663184
