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Runaway schoolgirl returning home | |
(about 8 hours later) | |
Laura Stainforth, the 15-year-old girl who was found in France a week after vanishing from her Lincolnshire home, is returning to England. | |
However police said the Cleethorpes schoolgirl was unlikely to return to the Grimsby area at this time. | |
She attended the British consulate in Lille with Robert Williams, 49, on Wednesday. | |
Mr Williams appeared before a court in Douai earlier. He is to be held in a French prison until next Tuesday. | |
In a statement, Humberside Police said: "Police will continue to work closely with both Laura and her family to ensure that they are re-united as soon as possible and would ask that they are left alone at this time to return to normality. | |
"On her return, Laura will be interviewed by specially trained officers in order to establish her current state of well being and the circumstances surrounding the last week." | |
Laura is understood to have met Mr Williams on the internet. | Laura is understood to have met Mr Williams on the internet. |
The investigation hasn't ended today, it has actually just started Det Ch Insp Sharon Fielding | |
Mr Williams, who is currently on bail after being questioned over an alleged teenage rape, was told in court that a European arrest warrant had been issued against him. | |
He will next appear in court on Tuesday, where the validity of the extradition request will be considered. | |
It it is successful, he will be extradited to the UK within 10 days. | |
Laura sparked a huge search when she disappeared from her home on 14 January after telling her parents she was going shopping. | |
Det Ch Insp Sharon Fielding, of Humberside Police, said officers had received a tip-off on Tuesday from a member of the public who reported having seen Laura in the Lille area. | |
She said officers had travelled to France and were working with the authorities to bring Laura home "as soon as possible". | She said officers had travelled to France and were working with the authorities to bring Laura home "as soon as possible". |
CCTV images | |
She said: "Her welfare is paramount and we need to ensure she is safe to travel." | She said: "Her welfare is paramount and we need to ensure she is safe to travel." |
Det Ch Insp Fielding said police would speak to Laura in depth once she had returned to the UK. | Det Ch Insp Fielding said police would speak to Laura in depth once she had returned to the UK. |
"The investigation hasn't ended today, it has actually just started," she said on Wednesday. | "The investigation hasn't ended today, it has actually just started," she said on Wednesday. |
"We've got a lot to talk to Laura about." | "We've got a lot to talk to Laura about." |
She said the schoolgirl could have been chatting to Mr Williams on the internet for up to six months. | She said the schoolgirl could have been chatting to Mr Williams on the internet for up to six months. |
Ms Fielding said Laura's family were "absolutely delighted" on hearing the news she had been found safe and well. | Ms Fielding said Laura's family were "absolutely delighted" on hearing the news she had been found safe and well. |
"It was very difficult for them. Laura had never gone missing before. She's a nice, hard-working girl. It just came completely out of the blue," she said. | "It was very difficult for them. Laura had never gone missing before. She's a nice, hard-working girl. It just came completely out of the blue," she said. |
"I imagine there were tears when they found out she was safe." | "I imagine there were tears when they found out she was safe." |
Laura and Mr Williams were captured on CCTV at Grimsby railway station on the night she went missing. | Laura and Mr Williams were captured on CCTV at Grimsby railway station on the night she went missing. |
They were then seen on the Pride of Kent ferry, heading from Dover to Calais, on Thursday. | They were then seen on the Pride of Kent ferry, heading from Dover to Calais, on Thursday. |
Durham Police said earlier that Mr Williams is currently on bail after being questioned over the alleged rape of a 16-year-old from West Sussex. He was arrested over the matter in Darlington in December. | Durham Police said earlier that Mr Williams is currently on bail after being questioned over the alleged rape of a 16-year-old from West Sussex. He was arrested over the matter in Darlington in December. |