Police re-arrest girl for alleged attack
SHAN ROSS
Key points
• Girl involved in alleged hanging of five-year old is re-arrested
• Police unable to clarify exactly what happened to Anthony Hinchliffe
• Three more suspects are being sought
Key quote
"has been a very distressing time for both myself and my family. One of my concerns, now that I have Anthony back with me, is for anyone who has information that can help the police to come forward and get in touch." - Terry Brown, Anthony's mother
Story in full
A 12-YEAR-OLD girl was re-arrested, yesterday, by detectives investigating the attack on Anthony Hinchliffe, the five-year-old boy from Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, found with ligature-type marks around his neck and bruising on his body.
The girl was one of a group of five children - two girls aged 11 and 12, and three boys, one aged 11 and two 12-year-olds - arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. She is now the only child being interviewed. Two boys were released overnight on Wednesday, while the others were released yesterday evening.
Anthony was apparently taken from his garden on Tuesday afternoon and led to a local wood where he was injured.
The girl had been released after magistrates refused to grant further time for questioning. However, she was re-arrested yesterday afternoon and is being interviewed by police.
Detectives have refused to confirm reports that Anthony sustained his injuries through being hanged and have said it is not clear if he was abducted or not.
Last night, Terry Brown, Anthony's mother, appealed for anyone with information to come forward.
Ms Brown, a mother of five, said: "This has been a very distressing time for both myself and my family. One of my concerns, now that I have Anthony back with me, is for anyone who has information that can help the police to come forward and get in touch."
West Yorkshire Police said they are still looking for two or three more people.
Anthony was discovered by his cousin, Tracey Jones, 22, close to the Earlsheaton Medical Centre in Chickenley, Dewsbury, around 6pm on Tuesday, two hours after he disappeared.
He was taken to Dewsbury and District Hospital where his injuries were described as serious.
After being kept overnight, he was released the following afternoon and is now being interviewed by specially-trained officers.
Police said that none of the children arrested was related to the victim. Officers last night began house-to-house inquiries in the area. Earlier in the day they blocked off entrances and searched woodland some distance from the alleged crime scene. They also confirmed a number of items had been recovered from behind the medical centre near where the attack is alleged to have taken place.
At a news conference on Wednesday, Detective Superintendent Andy Brennan, who is leading the inquiry, confirmed Anthony had "marks around his neck that could be consistent with ligature marks".
Yesterday, a spokeswoman for West Yorkshire Police, said: "The 12-year-old girl who was released following an unsuccessful application by police for a warrant of further detention from the magistrates court has been re-arrested in connection with the incident."
SHAN ROSS
Key points
• Girl involved in alleged hanging of five-year old is re-arrested
• Police unable to clarify exactly what happened to Anthony Hinchliffe
• Three more suspects are being sought
Key quote
"has been a very distressing time for both myself and my family. One of my concerns, now that I have Anthony back with me, is for anyone who has information that can help the police to come forward and get in touch." - Terry Brown, Anthony's mother
Story in full
A 12-YEAR-OLD girl was re-arrested, yesterday, by detectives investigating the attack on Anthony Hinchliffe, the five-year-old boy from Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, found with ligature-type marks around his neck and bruising on his body.
The girl was one of a group of five children - two girls aged 11 and 12, and three boys, one aged 11 and two 12-year-olds - arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. She is now the only child being interviewed. Two boys were released overnight on Wednesday, while the others were released yesterday evening.
Anthony was apparently taken from his garden on Tuesday afternoon and led to a local wood where he was injured.
The girl had been released after magistrates refused to grant further time for questioning. However, she was re-arrested yesterday afternoon and is being interviewed by police.
Detectives have refused to confirm reports that Anthony sustained his injuries through being hanged and have said it is not clear if he was abducted or not.
Last night, Terry Brown, Anthony's mother, appealed for anyone with information to come forward.
Ms Brown, a mother of five, said: "This has been a very distressing time for both myself and my family. One of my concerns, now that I have Anthony back with me, is for anyone who has information that can help the police to come forward and get in touch."
West Yorkshire Police said they are still looking for two or three more people.
Anthony was discovered by his cousin, Tracey Jones, 22, close to the Earlsheaton Medical Centre in Chickenley, Dewsbury, around 6pm on Tuesday, two hours after he disappeared.
He was taken to Dewsbury and District Hospital where his injuries were described as serious.
After being kept overnight, he was released the following afternoon and is now being interviewed by specially-trained officers.
Police said that none of the children arrested was related to the victim. Officers last night began house-to-house inquiries in the area. Earlier in the day they blocked off entrances and searched woodland some distance from the alleged crime scene. They also confirmed a number of items had been recovered from behind the medical centre near where the attack is alleged to have taken place.
At a news conference on Wednesday, Detective Superintendent Andy Brennan, who is leading the inquiry, confirmed Anthony had "marks around his neck that could be consistent with ligature marks".
Yesterday, a spokeswoman for West Yorkshire Police, said: "The 12-year-old girl who was released following an unsuccessful application by police for a warrant of further detention from the magistrates court has been re-arrested in connection with the incident."
