Man charged with murder of missing Georgia after body found
Saturday 1 June 2013 A 22-YEAR-OLD man has been charged with the murder of teenager Georgia Williams after a body was found in woodland.
Jamie Reynolds will appear in court in Telford, Shropshire, today.
The body of a young female was found on the Nant-y-Garth pass near Wrexham, north Wales, Superintendent Nav Malik of West Mercia Police told reporters.
A search had been launched after Reynolds was arrested in Glasgow.
Police Scotland also seized a silver Toyota Hiace 300GS van, to which he had access, in the city.
Officers had been searching the location near Wrexham, in connection with the disappearance of the girl, who has not been seen since Sunday.
Yesterday, Superintendent Malik said the body had not been positively identified, but early indications suggested that it was linked to Georgia’s disappearance.
He said: “Within the last hour, following liaison with the Crown Prosecution Service, we have charged 22-year-old Jamie Reynolds with the murder of Georgia Williams.
“For obvious legal reasons, I am not in a position to talk to you about that, to ensure a fair court outcome in due course.
“Sadly, yesterday afternoon, new evidence came to light which identified that Georgia had in fact died at an address in Wellington, in Telford here, and clearly that information has led us to where we are today.
“I can also confirm that this afternoon the body of a female, a young female, has been found in woodland in the pass near Nanty-Garth in Wrexham, north Wales.
“At this moment in time, we haven’t identified that body but early indications do suggest it’s linked to the disappearance of Georgia Williams.”
Superintendent Malik added that police had been liaising closely with Georgia’s family, “who are naturally devastated
“Sadly, yesterday new evidence came to light” Supt Nav Malik
by the events of yesterday afternoon and late this afternoon as well”.
He said that, while all investigations were challenging, “this has proved particularly challenging given that colleagues are working relentlessly, but also that one of the colleagues, Georgia’s father, is a police officer within this organisation here, and it’s been emotional for them.
“Whenever someone from a police family is involved, it is particularly distressing, clearly.”
He thanked the investigation team for the progress they had made, the Crown Prosecution Service, and “policing partners” for their support, as well as the public and press.
Reynolds would be going to Telford Magistrates’ Court this morning, he added.
Earlier, friends of Georgia spoke of their hope of her safe return as they leafleted people in her home town of Wellington in an attempt to raise awareness about her disappearance.
Georgia was last seen by her parents on Sunday evening when she told them she was going to see friends.
She was described by close friends as “bubbly”, with a great sense of humour.
Katy Lafferty, who was Georgia’s best friend and helped organise the leaflet drop, said her disappearance was “heartbreaking”.
The 17-year-old praised the support that had been expressed by thousands of people via social media.
Liam Ball, who goes to New College in Telford, where Georgia attended lectures, described her as “friendly, bubbly and lovely with a great sense of humour”.
The 18-year-old, of Shifnal, said: “She is everything you could want in a friend.
“If I didn’t feel like I was doing something to help, I just wouldn’t be coping.”