Search for Karen Buckley focused on apartment

Police have again began searching the back garden of the apartment where missing Cork student Karen Buckley was last seen.

Wed, 15 Apr, 2015 - 13:17

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Finding Karen 'absolute priority' for detectives

By Joe Leogue

Glasgow

Police have again begun searching the back garden of the apartment where missing Cork student Karen Buckley was last seen.

Police are now searching several areas of the city including a nearby park for any trace of the student.

Video of forensics in the back garden of Dorchester Ave flat where #KarenBuckley last seen. Cops are bagging items. pic.twitter.com/VPcWMEgHBL
— Clyde 1 News (@Clyde1News) April 15, 2015

The 24-year-old from Mourneabbey, Mallow, Co Cork, left the flat on Dorchester Avenue around 4am on Sunday morning and was planning to walk home to her flat in Hill Street when she disappeared.

The flat belongs to Alexander Pacteau. The 21-year-old met the 24-year-old nurse outside the Sanctuary nightclub shortly after 1am on Sunday morning. The pair left the club in the man’s car and travelled to his flat.

Forensics experts spent several hours yesterday examining Mr Pacteau's flat. Detective Superintendent Jim Kerr, from Police Scotland’s major investigations team, said police are not treating Pacteau as a suspect at this time.

Alexander Pacteau is not being treated as a suspect at this time.

Det Superintendent Kerr said: “At the end of the day, this man is a witness and is assisting in our inquiries as are other members of the public. He has been entirely co-operative with us.”

Pacteau’s mother Noreen, 43, told reporters: “As you can tell by the police reports, (Alexander) is not a suspect. She left his property at four o’clock in the morning and she was seen by other witnesses, not Alexander.

However, shortly after 11am, police again began searching the grounds and back garden of the flat in the quiet Glasgow suburb.

They have also began conducting door-to-door enquiries along Dorchester Avenue, where Karen Buckley was last seen.

A handbag which officers believe belongs to Miss Buckley was found in Dawsholm Park, near Dorchester Avenue, yesterday afternoon.

The entrance to the park was later cordoned off and dozens of officers and a police helicopter began searching the area.

Those searches continued throughout the night, with extra police officers and resources drafted in.

There was also a much heavier police presence at the entrance and inside the large public park this morning as the search continues.

Yesterday, the family of Miss Buckley, made a desperate public appeal for her safe return.

Her mother Marian said: ”We just want Karen home safely, we are desperate. She is our only daughter, we love her dearly.

”If anybody has any information please come forward, we would dearly appreciate it.”

Miss Buckley moved to Glasgow in February and is a first year occupational therapy student at Glasgow Caledonian University.

She is described as white and around 5ft to 5ft 2in. She has brown eyes and dark hair which had long black curly extensions in it.

When last seen, she was wearing a black jumpsuit with red high-heeled shoes and was carrying a black handbag.

Police are also keen to find out more about a grey car that was seen on the roads between Milngavie and Drymen north of Glasgow between 11am and 3pm on Monday.

Mr Kerr said: ”The activity of this grey car on the Monday is something that we’re a wee bit concerned about. This car has been seen at various locations on these roads and I want to know why.”

“We are gravely concerned that Karen has come to some harm, whether that is down to foul play, criminality or she has taken unwell or had an accident is obviously still to be established.”

Her father John Buckley, 62, said the disappearance was “so out of character”.

He said: ”We are extremely concerned for her. We are desperate to get her back and safe with her family – she is our only daughter, we love her dearly and just want her to come home safe and sound.”

'My son is innocent', says mother whose son was seen talking to Karen on CCTV