Pictured: Actor’s girl and boyfriend quizzed over her death
THE boyfriend of a former Taggart star’s daughter was questioned last night on suspicion of supplying class A drugs which may have killed her.
Ceon Broughton, 28, was re-arrested over potential drugs offences yesterday after tests found no evidence that Louella Michie, 25, was assaulted before her death at the Bestival music festival in Dorset.
He has been a fixture in the Michie family for the past year, appearing in family photographs – including at the 60th birthday celebrations last October of Louella’s father, John Michie.
Mr Michie, who has also starred in Coronation Street and Holby City, returned to Dorset yesterday as police continued to search the scene where her body was found.
Friends insisted there is no evidence that Mr Broughton, an online entrepreneur and aspiring rapper, committed murder. Instead they labelled the tragedy ‘just an accident’, saying it has left Mr Michie, his partner Carol Fletcher, 66, and their two other children – Sam, 26, and 28year-old Daisy – feeling their ‘world has been shattered’.
Last night, detectives released Mr Broughton ‘under investigation’ as their inquiries continued. This is the equivalent of being released on police bail.
Police said a post-mortem found no ‘clear signs’ that Louella was the victim of a violent attack. Detectives are now waiting for the results of toxicology tests, which could take months to complete.
Miss Michie’s family last night issued a statement in which they said their hearts had been ‘broken’ by the ‘horrific tragedy’.
They added: ‘We do not believe there to have been any malice intended in Louella and Ceon’s weekend at Bestival. They appear to have taken an illegal substance but we would appreciate cautious and sensitive reporting until the facts are known.
‘Louella inspired all who knew her with her joy of life.’
Speaking outside the Michie family’s £1.2million home in Holloway, North London, one close friend said: ‘He [Mr Michie] just wants to make it crystal clear there is no suggestion of murder, at all. He also wants people to know she was a happy, vibrant girl. She never really did drugs. It’s just an accident, he’s clear about that.
‘They’re a really lovely family, lovely neighbours, best neighbours you could possibly want.’
Another friend added: ‘No one can believe that Louella has gone. John and the family are struggling and are in tears. John said his world has been shattered.’
Miss Michie, a dancer and model, was found by police on the fringe of the family-friendly music festival, which was attended by up to 30,000 people, in the early hours of Monday. Her body was found in an isolated area known as the ‘Ambient Forest’ on the Lulworth Estate on Dorset’s Jurassic Coast.
It is believed Mr Broughton raised the alarm after the pair wandered off from the crowds after the end of the Pet Shop Boys’ headlining set on Sunday night.
After his girlfriend collapsed, he called Mr Michie and sent him a map via message service WhatsApp which used GPS to pinpoint her location, it is thought.
The actor and his partner, a former Hot Gossip dancer, then drove more than 130 miles to Dorset from their London home as police and security staff searched for their daughter.
Mr Broughton, originally from Croydon, South London, has run several websites selling street clothes. He recently filmed a music video, directed by Miss Michie’s older brother Sam. Social media photographs showed his girlfriend supported the shoot.
On the first night of the festival police warned people about rogue pale blue Ecstasy pills that were in circulation at Bestival.
Mr Michie – who was born in Burma and moved to Edinburgh at 13 – found fame in Scotland after joining Taggart as Detective Inspector Robbie Ross in 1998, staying in the role until the police drama ended in 2010.
He is best known across the UK for his role as Karl Munro in Coronation Street, and is now playing surgeon Guy Self in the medical drama Holby City.
Dorset Police said: ‘A 28-year-old man, who was known to Louella, was arrested on suspicion of murder and supply of a controlled class A drug. He has now been released under investigation.’
Detective Chief Inspector Sarah Derbyshire said: ‘A post-mortem examination took place that was inconclusive and therefore we need to undertake a number of other examinations before we can establish why she died.’
‘She inspired all who knew her’