Claire Holland’s disappearance from Bristol city centre could be linked to a crime, police say.
Image source, Avon and Somerset Police
Police are starting a major search for a woman missing since 2012.
Claire Holland, 32, from Lawrence Weston in Bristol, was last seen on the evening of 6 June, the day after the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee weekend.
Avon and Somerset Police said they now had reason to believe her disappearance was “linked to a crime”.
The force said it needed the public’s help and has released new CCTV footage of Ms Holland. It will also begin conducting searches around the city.
Senior investigating officer Det Insp Darren Hannant asked the public to “cast their minds back” to the weekend of 2-5 June in 2012.
There was an extended bank holiday in honour of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
“CCTV shows Claire walking along Baldwin Street heading towards the Seamus O’Donnell’s pub at around 21.30 BST on Wednesday, 6 June, but we don’t have any footage showing where she went afterwards,” he said.
“Staff have confirmed she did leave the pub later that evening just after closing time, around 23.15.”
Det Insp Hannant said it was possible Ms Holland had headed towards the city’s harbourside, but despite officers reviewing more than 1,000 hours of CCTV footage, they had not been able to spot her.
He said her disappearance was being treated as suspicious.
“Claire had no known reason to go missing of her own accord and had made plans for the week following her disappearance,” said Det Insp Hannant.
A 37-year-old man who was arrested on suspicion of her murder in 2019 remains released under investigation.
A specialist dive team will join the new searches that will start in the city centre and move to other areas of Bristol throughout the week.
Image source, Google
People who were her Facebook friends in 2012 will also be sent messages by police.
Detectives from Avon and Somerset Police want to speak to anyone who was in Seamus O’Donnell’s on the night Ms Holland was last seen, who might be able to identify who she spoke to that night in the pub.
The force is also interested in talking to anyone who might have seen her walking in the city after 23:00.
Officers want to hear from any friends of Ms Holland who might not have shared information in 2012, or might have heard something suspicious or unusual about her disappearance.
She is described as white, about 5ft (1.5m), of slim build, with shoulder-length brown hair, sometimes tied back in a ponytail.
Anyone with information about the case is urged to contact police.
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