The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Gruesome discovery made in search for missing teen
THE FAMILY of missing teenager Becky Watts have spoken of their devastation at hearing body parts have been found in the search for her.
Her distraught relatives have spoken of their pain following the grim discovery made by detectives hunting for the 16-yearold.
They spoke out as Avon and Somerset Police were granted an extra 24 hours to question a 28-year-old man and a 21-yearold woman on suspicion of murdering Becky.
Four other people — three men and a woman — also remain in custody after being arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.
Becky’s father and stepmother, Darren and Anjie Galsworthy, said: “To receive such news as we did today about our dear daughter and stepdaughter Becky is too much to bear.
“We have the support of a good family network to help us in these challenging times.
“We would ask that you treat Becky with the due reverence and allow us to come to terms with our grief in private.”
The teenager’s mother, Tania Watts, brother Daniel and grandmother Pat said: “We are devastated to be told of this latest development.
“We are at an utter loss to understand why anyone would want to hurt our beautiful Becky in such a brutal way.
“We are grateful to the police for all they have done and are continuing to do in this investigation.”
John Galsworthy, speaking on behalf of the Galsworthy family, paid tribute to Becky as a “wonderful” daughter, sister, granddaughter and niece.
“We are heartbroken at what has been discovered overnight,” Mr Galsworthy said. “We cannot begin to understand what has happened and why.”
Becky vanished from her home on Crown Hill, St George, Bristol, at around 11.15am on February 19.
She left home with her iPhone, laptop and tablet, but did not tell friends or family where she was going, or take extra clothing.
She was reported missing at 4pm on February 20 and a large search operation was launched.
Yesterday, Detective Superintendent Mike Courtiour said information received by police late on Monday night led them to a house at Barton Court in the Barton Hill area of Bristol where body parts were found.
“Although formal identif ication procedures have not yet been completed, we have made Becky’s family aware of this discovery,” he said.
As part of the investigation, four men, aged 29, 29, 23 and 23, have been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender, along with a 23-year-old woman.
Tearful residents have spoken of their horror at the discovery in the quiet cul-desac.
A 63-year-old grandmother, who would only give her name as Jen, said: “I’m scared to imagine that I might have missed her.
“I am totally devastated and I can’t stop shaking and I feel so, so sorry for the parents — my heart goes out to them.”
A vehicle matching the description of the Vauxhall Zafira police have appealed for information about can be seen in the Google Street View of Barton Court.
Detectives seized the car over the weekend but asked anyone with sightings of it, particularly between February 19 and 23, to come forward.
They also urged previous owners of the vehicle, registration number HY06 HYA, to contact them on 101 immediately.
Floral tributes have begun to be left close to the house at Barton Court where police made the grim discovery. One simply read: “RIP Becky Watts.” Another said: “Becky, you will be sadly missed but never forgotten. Our hearts go out to your family and friends on this sad day. Goodnight sleep tight you are with the angels now xxx.”