Man accused of girl’s murder fails to appear in court as van breaks down

A MAN accused of murdering a missing schoolgirl failed to appear in court yesterday after a prison van he was to travel in broke down.

Robert Howard, 60, is charged with murdering 15-year-old Arlene Arkinson, who went missing as she returned from a disco in Co Donegal nine years ago.

Howard, originally from Co Laois but with an address at Belmarsh Prison in London, was due to appear before Strabane Magistrates Court on further charges connected to the disappearance of the Co Tyrone teenager. He pleaded not guilty at an earlier court appearance.

Arlene’s father, William, and sister, Kathleen, were waiting in court for the accused but the hearing was adjourned when the court heard he would not reach Strabane in time. Resident Magistrate Alan White ruled “no appearance because of accident” and remanded Howard in continuing custody to appear via video link at Omagh Magistrate’s Court on August 26.

Arlene vanished in 1994 after attending a disco in Bundoran and a police hunt was launched on both sides of the Border. Howard was one of a number of people questioned in the aftermath of her disappearance, but it was only last year police once again focused their attention on him after receiving further information. The 60-year-old lived in Arlene’s home town of Castlederg for a time shortly before she disappeared.

Arlene’s body has never been found.