18:24
BREAKING: Body found in search for missing Oxford girl, 15
Residents in the Marston area of Oxford have reported that the missing local teenager Sasha Blake may have been found in an area of open ground close to where she was last seen. In the last hour, a number of people have tweeted pictures of a white police tent being set up on a site alongside the river Cherwell. An undertaker’s van has also been spotted in the nearby car park, adding weight to speculation that it is indeed a body that has been found.
Thames Valley Police have not issued a statement as yet.
More news on this as we hear it.
25 comments
Sylvia_Meredith_245
How truly terrible – such a tragic loss of a young life before it even began. My heart goes out to her family
Shani_benet_151
My daughter is at the same school as Sasha – her year group are just beside themselves. She was so popular and so talented. She even got some sort of internship with Vogue for next summer. They had 100s of applicants but they picked her
Amber_Saffron_Rose
They’ll probably have a memorial service, won’t they?
Johnjoe_84_Wantage
The mother was on the news on her own. So where’s the bloody dad, that’s what I want to know. He’ll have something to do with it. Just you wait
Shani_benet_151
How can you say something like that? Don’t you think her family and friends are going through enough without you chiming in – what if they’re reading this, have you thought about that? You have NO IDEA what you’re talking about so just zip it why don’t you
Johnjoe_84_Wantage
Just because you don’t like what Im saying doesn’t mean its not true. You see if Im not right
* * *
As soon as Everett and Somer turn into Windermere Avenue they know they’re too late. The press are three deep opposite the house already; cameras trained on the door, ready for the police, relatives, the Tesco delivery – they don’t care who it is as long as it gets Fiona Blake to the doorstep. Others are homing in on anything that might be Sasha’s – a bicycle just visible down the side return, a sticker in a bedroom window. There’s no sign of life inside: upstairs and down, the curtains are drawn, but there are still people crowded behind the officers on the pavement, and on the top floors of the adjacent houses the neighbours are straining for a better look.
‘Bloody vultures,’ says Somer, turning off the engine. ‘Can’t they see the damage they’re doing?’
‘They don’t care,’ says Ev, staring out of the window. ‘Why let tact get in the way of a good story?’
The Sky reporter is talking live now, gesturing back towards the house with a practised one-quarter twist.
‘Thames Valley Police have yet to issue a statement, but speculation is growing that the body of fifteen-year-old Sasha may indeed have been found, less than two miles from this house, which she shares with her mother, Fiona Blake, forty-three.’
Ev looks across at Somer, who’s gripping the steering wheel just a bit too hard.
‘Look, Erica, I know this is easy for me to say, but try not to take it too personally. Cases like this – they’ll break your heart if you let them. But that’s not what Fiona needs. She needs us to find this bastard. That’s all. Find him, lock him up and do our damnedest to lose the key.’
Somer nods. ‘I know. Sorry. Didn’t mean to –’
‘It’s OK. You don’t need to apologize. Not to me, anyway.’ She loosens her seat belt and reaches for the door handle. ‘Right. Time for me to give those shits a piece of my mind.’
* * *
Adam Fawley
5 April 2018
18.54
‘I don’t have any choice, Adam. You must see that.’
I nod. Though part of me doesn’t see it at all. The angry, defensive, you-cannot-be-serious part.
‘So what do you propose, sir?’
Harrison’s eyes narrow. He’s clearly picked up on my tone and he doesn’t like it. But I don’t care; if I sound pissed off it’s because I am.
‘I’ve asked the press office to prepare a statement confirming that there will now be an informal review of the Roadside Rapist case. That we believe it only prudent to assess the evidence again in the light of recent events, in order to ensure continued public confidence in the police. And if it becomes clear that a formal reference to the Criminal Cases Review Commission is appropriate –’
‘Oh, for God’s sake –’
‘Come on, Adam. You know as well as I do that it’s better to get out