Man arrested over missing teenager
Man, 49, believed to have known missing girl held as clothing similar to items she wore is discovered
A 49-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of the murder of Gaia Pope, the missing teenager, hours after women’s clothing was found close to a cliff. Dorset police said it was believed Paul Elsey, the suspect, was known to Gaia. The arrested man is the uncle of Nathan Elsey, a 19-year-old held then released pending further inquires.
A 49-YEAR-OLD carpenter was arrested yesterday on suspicion of the murder of Gaia Pope, the missing teenage student, hours after women’s clothing was found close to a cliff top.
Paul Elsey, the suspect, was “110 per cent innocent”, said his father, Greg, 69, who accused police of “absolutely disgusting” behaviour. Dorset Police said: “It is believed he [the suspect] was known to Gaia.”
Earlier in the day, a member of the public had stumbled across a pile of clothing similar to items worn by Gaia, 19, when she vanished on Nov 7.
The clothes were found in a field not far from a cliff-side coastal path around a mile from her family home in Langton Matravers, a village just outside Swanage.
The detective leading the inquiry said officers had a “responsibility to investigate every avenue of inquiry and to investigate if she has come to harm through an act of crime”.
The arrested man is the uncle of Nathan Elsey, a 19-year-old aspiring actor who appeared as an extra in the recently released film Dunkirk.
Nathan Elsey was arrested along with Rosemary Dinch, 71, his grandmother, who is Paul Elsey’s mother, on Monday. The pair were released 24 hours later pending further inquiries.
Greg Elsey, from Romney, Hants, said: “I’ve got 110 per cent confidence that my son will be released when they realise what a shambles they’ve made of it.” He claimed: “You will be gobsmacked how the police have formed [their investigation]. Absolutely disgusting.”
Mr Elsey said he had taken his son to a solicitor’s office for legal advice prior to the arrest, which had been expected after officers had reportedly searched the suspect’s car.
Mr Elsey, who insisted his son had an alibi, added: “I wanted to make sure he [Paul] had good legal representation before he went to the police station. The way they took Rosemary away and Nathan ... If you’re arrested for murder, surely they have got more than eight to 10 questions to ask you. They kept Nathan in Poole police station for 24 hours and asked him about eight [questions],” he claimed.
Police are trying to piece together Gaia’s last movements. She had been in an agitated state when she disappeared and was captured on CCTV running down a street in Swanage. She had visited Mrs Dinch at about 3pm on Nov 7, banging on her door and crying.
Paul Elsey, who lives with his mother in Manor Gardens in Swanage, was working in Weymouth at the time, his father said. Gaia was last seen on CCTV in Manor Gardens about an hour later.
Richard Sutherland, Gaia’s father, gave a tearful interview yesterday, pleading for information.
He said she suffered from epilepsy and had been “very upset” and “depressed” over a trauma two years ago that continued to haunt her.
He said on television: “Gaia, you know we love you, you know that. I just want that big hug please. We’ll get you back and we’ll have that big hug.”
He went on: “She’s vulnerable but she’s also strong ... She’s a real deep down decent person who has had some really tough times.”