Mass DNA screening ‘could help in search for Claudia’

MASS screening of men living in an area of York visited by missing chef Claudia Lawrence could provide a key to the five-year riddle of her disappearance, friends believe.
Claudia LawrenceClaudia Lawrence
Claudia Lawrence

Police revealed last week
that new analysis of Claudia’s
mobile phone showed she was
in the Acomb area of the town in the weeks before she disappeared.

Officers said she may have been socialising “with a person or persons”.

The development came as a surprise to those who knew
her.

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Martin Dales, spokesman for Claudia’s father Peter Lawrence said: “It was certainly news to most people who had been following the case.

“I was not aware she had any friends in that area, I don’t think the family did either.

“I think it would be sensible for the police to DNA-test men living in that area.

“The police have revealed strong new leads in the past few days and the investigation has a new momentum.”

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Mr Dales said followers of the case thought that police should put up posters in the locations they have highlighted on an interactive map on the police website as a further on-the-ground reminder of the information they are seeking.

Investigators believe Claudia’s missing silver Samsung D900 mobile phone was deliberately turned off by someone around 12.10pm on Thursday March 19, 2009.

Det Supt Dai Malyn, who is leading the review, said: “Further analysis of Claudia’s mobile phone, particularly cell site activity, shows she was in the Acomb area of York in the weeks leading up to her disappearance.

“We believe she may have been socialising with a person or persons. Again, we would like to know who this was and where it was taking place. If this is something a person wants to discuss with us sensitively, we can deal with that in a discreet manner using trained officers.”

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Mass DNA testing could involve taking samples from around 2,000 men in Acomb, which is across the city from her Heworth Road home.

As well as DNA from items in Claudia’s house, police have also recovered a DNA profile from a man who left a cigarette butt in her Vauxhall Corsa, which they say may be linked to a “left-handed smoker” seen with a woman on Melrosegate Bridge at around 5.35am on March 19.

Friends have told officers it wasn’t unusual for people to smoke in her car or at home, and police are urging any male who may have smoked in her car to come forward. The new lines of inquiry released last week also include appeals to trace two men and two vehicles. One man, aged 55 to 65, seen outside her house on the morning of her disappearance is regarded as particularly significant.