LIBBY BODY FOUND
Libby Squire – Body found in Humber Estuary confirmed by police to be missing student who vanished seven weeks ago
DETECTIVES searching for Libby Squire last night confirmed a body pulled from the Humber Estuary is the student who vanished seven weeks ago.
Tragic Libby, 21, had been missing for 48 days when her body was recovered by a lifeboat crew near to Grimsby Docks on Wednesday.
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Last night Humberside Police confirmed the badly decomposed body is Libby's, who vanished on January 31 after a drunken night out in Hull.
Cops contacted Libby’s parents Lisa, 48, and Russ, 53, after the grisly discovery was made and they are being comforted by family liaison officers.
A post-mortem examination was carried out yesterday and is continuing to determine exactly how Libby died.
An inquest will be opened and adjourned on March 25 at Hull Coroner's Court.
Detective Superintendent Martin Smalley, of Humberside Police, said last night: “Formal identification has now taken place and we can confirm the body recovered is that of missing woman Libby Squire.
“Libby’s family have been informed and are receiving support from specially trained officers.
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“Our priority is to give them the answers they desperately need."
Polish butcher Pawel Relowicz, 24, was arrested and quizzed over Libby's disappearance and remains under investigation.
DS Smalley added: "The people in Hull have shown tremendous support to Libby’s family and to the officers and support staff involved in the searches and investigation.
"It has been a very difficult time for all those involved and we would like to thank everyone again."
Professor Susan Lea, Vice-chancellor of Hull University where Libby attended, released a heartfelt message following the identification of Libby's body.
She said the university were "heartbroken" at the loss of their student.
The message said: "As a close-knit community of staff and students, we are all absolutely devastated by the loss of our student, Libby Squire.
'ABSOLUTELY DEVASTATED'
"Our hearts go out to Libby's family and friends at this incredibly difficult time and we will continue to give them our full support."
The Hull Community Church changed its profile picture on Facebook to one paying tribute to tragic Libby.
Posts on the page read: "We are devastated at the news of Libby Squire. Our prayers and thoughts are with the family at this horrendous time.
"We have taken Libby to our hearts, and she will never be forgotten by us here in Hull.
"We have laid white tulips for Libby on the bench where she was last seen - only to find that others have come too to pour out their grief and send messages of love."
Tributes from friends and the community were posted on Twitter in the moments after the police statement.
One read: "My heart goes out to the parents of Libby Squire. Could not for one moment imagine what they're going through."
Another user added: "Libby Squire has been in the hearts of minds of all local people since Feb 1st and will forever be remembered.
"Incredibly sad."
VANISHED WITHOUT A TRACE
A source said: ";This is tragic news. Her parents are utterly heartbroken.
"The police investigation will now intensify. It is vital to find out how she died.
"At the moment the police investigation remains that of a missing persons probe.
"That may change depending on the results of the post-mortem."
Police were scrambled to the docks at around 2.30pm after the alarm was raised with the RNLI assisting in the recovery.
The quayside was cordoned off and the coroner was informed.
Philosophy and religion student Libby went missing from a park bench just yards from her student digs after a night out on January 31.
She had been turned away from the Welly nightclub in Hull for being too drunk and was put in a taxi by friends and driven home to nearby Wellesley Avenue.
But after staggering around she mysteriously ended up sitting on a park bench on nearby Beverley Road at 11.45pm.
CCTV footage taken minutes later at 12.09am shows a woman believed to be Libby getting into a car and being driven away.
How the tragedy unfolded
11pm Thursday January 31: Libby is refused entry at Welly Club, Beverley Road, 4km from her home. The student was put into a taxi home.
11.30pm: Libby was seen staggering around outside her student digs on Wellesley Ave
11.45pm: CCTV captures Libby sitting on a bench on Beverley Road, close to the junction of Haworth Street.She was also helped by a motorist
12.09am: CCTV shows woman believed to be Libby getting into a car on Haworth Street just a few feet from Beverley Road
12.19am: CCTV obtained by The Sun picks up a car similar to the one seized by cops driving along Newlands Avenue in the direction of Raglan Street. Libby reported missing by friends
12.30am: A neighbour hears 'blood-curdling' screams
February 5: Pawel Relwicz, 24, is arrested in connection with the disappearance less than a mile from Libby's home
February 10: The dad-of-two is charged with a string of unrelated offences including burglary and voyeurism and remains under investigation by Libby cops
March 6: Relowicz charged with seven further offences including further counts of burglary, voyeurism, outraging public decency and receiving stolen goods
March 18: He appears at Hull Crown Court and pleads not guilty to 12 unrelated offences
March 20: Libby cops recover a body from Humber Estuary but idenitification needs to take place
March 21: Police confirm the body found is Libby
A second clip obtained by The Sun, shows a similar car being driven half a mile away ten minutes later at 12.19am.
A woman living close to where Libby was last seen described hearing "bloodcurdling screams" at 12.30am that made her sit up in bed and say: "Oh my God".
A massive hunt was launched and up to 50 officers searched a river and pond close to her home. Bins, drains and gardens were also swept but without trace.
FAMILY'S DEVASTATION
Since her disappearance Libby's parents have travelled between their home in High Wycombe and Hull to help cops.
In a moving statement the couple spoke fondly of Libby's love and said she was "always happy and having fun".
They also said: "As a family we are incomplete.
"We miss her more than we could ever say. We just want her back with us."
BUTCHER REMAINS UNDER INVESTIGATION
They also released snaps of Libby including one of her on Christmas Day and others of her laughing and joking with her family as they desperately appealed for information.
Butcher Relowicz, 24, was arrested and quizzed over Libby's disappearance and remains under investigation.
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Unrelated to Libby, he has since been charged with five counts of burglary, three counts of voyeurism, three counts of outraging public decency and one of receiving stolen goods.
He appeared at Hull Crown Court on Monday to deny the charges and will stand trial on July 22.
Missing Libby Squire’s parents beg her to make contact in emotional TV plea – as police divers search river
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New CCTV shows missing Hull student Libby Squire walking towards The Welly Club before her disappearance
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Libby Squire's heartbroken family release new video of missing student, 21, laughing and singing in car as search to enter seventh week
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