Runaway girl’s ‘throat is cut’ after police put couple in van
A TEENAGE girl who ran away from home with a 45-year-old man was in intensive care last night, reportedly recovering from a slashed throat after they were put in the same police van.
The 17-year-old became the subject of a major three-day police search after she and librarian Stuart Lymer fled their homes in Staffordshire.
The pair were found more than 300 miles away and taken from a train bound for Inverness in Scotland on Monday.
Then in an apparent blunder now being investigated, uniformed officers placed them together in a waiting vehicle for transport to Perth’s police headquarters.
Inside the van, in circumstances not yet established, a knife was produced and both suffered serious injuries.
Investigators are trying to decide whether one attacked the other before cutting themself – or whether they deliberately slashed each other.
Assistant Chief Constable John Hawkins, of Police Scotland, said: “Following an incident within a police vehicle in Perth, a 45-year-old man from Uttoxeter and 17-year-old girl from Cannock have been arrested.”
Both are undergoing treatment at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee but are expected to appear in court when they are released.
The teenager was initially taken to Perth Royal Infirmary before being transferred to the intensive care unit at Ninewells. It is understood that her injuries are not life-threatening.
The girl had disappeared on Friday lunchtime after being seen getting into a van outside a Tesco supermarket in her home town.
Silver-haired Lymer had resigned his job as a library assistant three days earlier.
A Staffordshire County Council spokesman said: “We can confirm Stuart Lymer is a former library assistant at Uttoxeter library who resigned on Tuesday, February 27.
“We are supporting Staffordshire police in their inquiries. We are unable to comment further at this time.”
Yesterday the Scottish force referred itself to the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner. Its spokesman said: “We have received a referral from Police Scotland in relation to the serious injury of a 17-year-old woman and a 45-year-old man who were being transferred in a police vehicle.
“Our investigation is ongoing and it would be inappropriate to comment further.”