United Kingdom LOUISE SMITH: Missing from Havant, Hampshire, England - 8 May 2020 - Age 16 *Found Deceased - Shane Mays GUILTY*

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Louise Smith: Man and woman arrested for alleged kidnap of missing teenager

A man and a woman have been arrested for the alleged kidnap of a teenage girl who went missing a week ago, police have said.

Louise Smith, 16, was last seen at around midday on 8 May in Somborne Drive, Havant, in Hampshire and has not been in contact with family or friends since, Hampshire Constabulary said.

Earlier, her family and detectives said they were "increasingly concerned" about her.

The man and woman, both 29, have been arrested on suspicion of kidnap and remain in custody, the force added.

Chief Inspector Alex Reading appealed to the public for help and said it was "still very much a missing person investigation".

He added: "I know the public would expect us to explore all lines of enquiries in order to find Louise and as such we must move forward with an open mind as to where she might be."

Police have been going door-to-door, conducting searches and scanning CCTV in their efforts to locate her and further searches will be carried out in the Leigh Park area over the weekend, Mr Reading said.





Police launch desperate hunt for missing girl, 16, who vanished four days ago after her phone went dead following trip to skate park near her Hampshire home

Police have launched a hunt for a missing 16-year-old girl after her phone signal was traced to a skate park near her home.

Detectives traced the signal from Louise Smith's phone to a skate park in Havant, Hampshire.

Since detectives traced the signal, the phone has been turned off and there have been no sightings of the teenager.

Her family confirmed the detail about her mobile phone signal which was tracked by police at the skate park near her home in Havant, Hampshire.


Media - https://www.crimewatchers.net/media...ampshire-england-since-8-may-2020-age-16.490/
 
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Louise Smith missing: 'Huge' search for Havant teen leads volunteers towards Rowlands Castle

Around 40 volunteers from Hampshire Search and Rescue have joined county police officers in the hunt for Louise Smith, 16 from Leigh Park.

Louise was last seen on Friday, May 8 in Somborne Drive, Leigh Park – and has not been in contact with her family since then.

A man and woman, both 29, were arrested on Friday on suspicion of kidnap. They have since been bailed by police.

A police spokesman said: ‘The investigation team are carrying out [searches] these in locations we know Louise liked to go or regularly visited in and around the area.’

‘Investigations are ongoing and we remain keen to hear from anyone who may be able to help us locate missing Louise.’

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Hunt for girl, 16, who has been missing for 10 days extends to lake after two people arrested for her 'kidnap' are freed on bail

The desperate hunt for a missing Hampshire 16-year-old today turned to searching waters of a country park lake.

Police encouraged people to stay away from Staunton Country Park near Louise Smith's home town of Havant, Hampshire, as officers conducted a search.

Police arrested a 29-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman on suspicion of kidnap but they have since been released on bail.

The head of the police search claimed it was 'still very much a missing person investigation' but scores of volunteers and professional searches were probing the lake and a nearby woodland.


Friends of the teenager claimed Louise had said she was only going out for a short time at midday on May 8 when she was expected to return home to spend the weekend with her boyfriend who had arrived to stay.


'Louise, if you are reading this, please call us and let us know you are okay. We just want to know that you are safe.

'If you feel you cannot call us, then please call a friend or a loved one - we need to know that you are okay.”

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A new picture has been released of missing 16-year-old Louise Smith as searches enter the 11th day.

Police, professional searchers and volunteers could be seen scouring waters of Staunton Country Park in Havant and nearby woodland on Monday.

Searchers were joined by volunteers from the Isle of Wight Search and Rescue team, who travelled across the Solent to join teams from Hampshire, Berkshire, Sussex and Surrey, which included tracker dogs.

Police had encouraged people to stay away from Staunton Country Park, a listed Regency landscaped parkland and forest encompassing approximately 1,000 acres near Louise's home, as the officers conducted a search.

Detectives the teenager said that people who videoed VE Day celebrations in driveways and on the streets could have vital footage relating to the 16-year-old's disappearance.

A spokesman for Hampshire Constabulary said: "Officers searching for missing 16-year-old Louise from Havant are keen to hear from anyone who may have witnessed anything significant, or captured anything on video, during VE Day celebrations on Friday May 8.

Chief Inspector Alex Reading said: "We know a lot of people would have been out on their driveways on VE Day and may have been filming the celebrations in their neighbourhood on camera or mobile phone.

"Perhaps you drove through the area on VE Day and saw someone matching Louise's description, or caught her on dashcam. Please check your dashcam footage from this day to see if it captured anything that could help our investigation.
 
VE Day - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victory_in_Europe_Day


I really want to know more about those two people arrested and charged with her kidnapping. They haven't said anything more than "arrested, charged with kidnapping, released on bail". Were they seen with Louise? Was Louise talking to them online? What's the story here?
It's been awhile since I've followed a case in England, but IIRC they don't release much info on them.
 

Body found in search for Louise Smith from Havant

A BODY has been found during the search for a missing teenage girl.

Officers searching for missing 16-year-old Louise Smith have found a body in the Havant area.

Police say that formal identification has not yet taken place.

However, Louise’s family have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers.

Police are treating the death as suspicious, and are continuing to investigate the circumstances.

Detective Chief Superintendent Scott Mackechnie said: “Today officers located a body in an area of woodland in Havant Thicket.
 

Louise Smith, 16, ‘seen getting into red van days before she vanished’

A missing 16-year-old girl was allegedly seen ‘getting into a red van with a bag of clothes’.

Louise Smith’s last reported sighting was around midday on May 8 – VE Day – on Somborne Drive, Havant, just five minutes walk from her home.

On Thursday police found a body in dense Hampshire woodland just a mile and a half from her house.

Detectives were today searching the home of a married couple who live close by.

Specialist forensic officers have been seen taking ‘bag loads’ of items including carpet and clothing from the flat.
 

Mourners have been laying flowers at the site where a body was discovered in Hampshire during the search for missing 16-year-old Louise Smith.

Today the teenager, who vanished on May 8, was described by family friends as a 'charming young girl who had her whole life ahead of her'.

Investigating forensic officers have also been photographed taking items from a flat in Leigh Park, Hampshire, where Louise was believed to be staying with a married couple, both 29.

Devastated members of the community said Louise was 'just your typical teenager' as they laid flowers at a woodland site where a body was found.

Hampshire Police told MailOnline today that the body is yet to be formally identified.
 

Body found in Hampshire woodland confirmed to be missing girl, 16

Police have confirmed that a body found in a Hampshire woodland is that of missing girl Louise Smith, 16.

The teenager, from the Leigh Park area, was reported missing on May 8. A murder investigation was then launched after a body was found in Havant Thicket on Thursday.

Hampshire Police have now confirmed that formal identification procedures of the body have now been completed and Louise’s family have been informed of her death. They are being supported by specialist officers.


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Man, 29, arrested on suspicion of the murder of 16-year-old Louise Smith whose body was found in woodland

A MAN has today been arrested on suspicion of the murder of 16-year-old Louise Smith whose body was found in woodland.

Shane Mays, 29, is being quizzed by cops after the teen's body was found 14 days after she vanished from her home in Havant, Hants, on May 8.

Hampshire Constabulary confirmed last week they were treating her death as a homicide and today confirmed they had made an arrest.

Mr Mays, who had previously been detained on suspicion of kidnap, has been re-arrested on suspicion of murder.

His wife, 29-year-old Cjay - who had also previously been arrested for kidnap - has been re-arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.

A Hampshire police spokesman said both suspects were in custody.
 
Louise Smith case: Leigh Park man Shane Mays denies murdering Havant teenager

Shane Mays, 29, of Somborne Drive, Leigh Park, appeared at Winchester Crown Court this morning. He spoke only to confirm his identity and deny murdering Louise, who went missing on May 8. Her body was found 13 days later at Havant Thicket.

Mrs Justice May remanded Mays, of Somborne Drive, Leigh Park, into custody ahead of a hearing on October 2.


Remanding Mays, Mrs Justice May said: 'The trial is currently listed for November 10, although it may move back by a week or two.'

She added: 'It will happen at this court, the date will be confirmed in due course.'
 
Woman rearrested in murder probe after teenager found dead in woodland

A woman has been rearrested on suspicion of murdering 16-year-old Louise Smith, who was found dead in woodland after disappearing on VE Day.

A 29-year-old woman, who was initially arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender, was rearrested on Friday on suspicion of murder.

She has been bailed until July 31 while inquiries continue, Hampshire Police said.


Officers have charged Shane Lee Mays, 29, of Somborne Drive, Havant, on suspicion of murder.

His trial, expected to last about four weeks, is due to start at Winchester Crown Court on November 10, with a preliminary hearing on October 2.
 
Trial date set for Shane Mays who is accused of murdering Havant teenager Louise Smith

Shane Mays, 30, of Havant, has pleaded not guilty to murder and a trial date has been confirmed at Winchester Crown Court for November 16, with a further pre-trial hearing to be held on October 14.

Judge Keith Cutler remanded him in custody until the next hearing.
 

Shane Mays appears in court over murder of Havant teenager Louise Smith​

Shane Mays, 30, of Havant, has pleaded not guilty to murder with a trial date set at Winchester Crown Court for November 16.


Mays will now appear at court on October 22.

It is hoped the trial will still take place on the agreed date and is expected to last four weeks.
 

Louise Smith murder trial: Shane Mays of Leigh Park pleads guilty to manslaughter at Winchester Crown Court​

Shane Mays, 30, of Somborne Drive, Leigh Park, is accused of murdering the teenager who went missing in May this year.

He pleaded guilty to manslaughter this morning at Winchester Crown Court ahead of his murder trial.

Mays denies murder. Prosecutor James Newton-Price QC said the plea was not acceptable and a trial will still take place.
 

Louise Smith murder trial: Shane Mays of Leigh Park pleads guilty to manslaughter at Winchester Crown Court​

Shane Mays, 30, of Somborne Drive, Leigh Park, is accused of murdering the teenager who went missing in May this year.

He pleaded guilty to manslaughter this morning at Winchester Crown Court ahead of his murder trial.

Mays denies murder. Prosecutor James Newton-Price QC said the plea was not acceptable and a trial will still take place.
Wow, they have kept the trial on track even with Covid. Disappeared in 2020 and trial in 2020 just months later. Unheard of almost here, even before Covid.
 
I was a bit confused with the plea... He "plead guilty" to manslaughter. But the murder trial is still moving forward. So apparently the prosecution didn't agree to the plea? Do plea deals work differently there?
 

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