Marine
01-06-2003, 3:57pm
A woman whose torso was found in the London flat of a double murder suspect has been identified as a 30-year-old prostitute from Nottinghamshire, it emerged yesterday.
The woman, who has not been named, lived in London and had not been reported missing before some of her remains were discovered in the home of Tony Hardy, the 51-year-old arrested on Thursday night following a two-day hunt.
The victim's head and hands have not been found but a postmortem on Wednesday revealed she had had breast and bottom implants, which had serial numbers.
These led detectives to the cosmetic hospital where she had undergone surgery and she was identified from medical records.
"We believe we know the identity of the elder victim of the double murder. However we await formal identification through DNA, which may take some time," a Scotland Yard spokeswoman said.
Mr Hardy was still being questioned last night about her death and the murder of another younger woman, who has yet to be identified.
But fears for the safety of a third woman, Kelly Anne Nicol, 24, receded yesterday when relatives, including her mother Jacqueline, told detectives she had been in contact with them in recent days.
Police stressed yesterday that Mr Hardy was only being questioned about two deaths at this stage.
"The present murder investigation is into the two bodies found in Camden, north London," the spokeswoman said.
"Despite maintaining an open mind regarding the possible outcome of the investigation this inquiry is not being linked to any other murder at this time and will not be unless there is strong intelligence or forensic evidence to do so."
However, the Regent's Canal, which is near Mr Hardy's flat in Camden, is still being searched by police divers and remote control cameras have also been put in the drains. "We are still hoping to find the body parts that are missing," said a source.
Mr Hardy was arrested on Thursday evening near Great Ormond Street hospital in central London after a tip-off from a member of the public who recognised him from police appeals.
Hours earlier, Commander Andy Baker, who is in overall charge of Scotland Yard's murder inquiries, told a press conference that Mr Hardy, a divorced father of four, had been to University College hospital on New Year's Day seeking medication for an illness related to diabetes.
He left when staff asked him for his address. A CCTV image showed he had shaved off his beard, and nurses formed the impression he had been living on the streets.
With extensions, detectives could hold Mr Hardy for up to 96 hours before having to release or charge him. Mr Baker said the deaths of the two women were not being linked to the murder of prostitute Paula Fields, 31, whose body was found in the Regent's Canal in February 2000.
Her body was cut into six pieces and put in hold-alls. Her head was never found.
The present investigation was launched when a vagrant looking for food rummaged through bin liners behind a pub in Camden, on Monday morning.
He found parts of a leg, and when police conducted a search remains were discovered in a number of plastic bags.
Police believe that the forensic analysis of Mr Hardy's flat could take days, if not weeks.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,868423,00.html
The woman, who has not been named, lived in London and had not been reported missing before some of her remains were discovered in the home of Tony Hardy, the 51-year-old arrested on Thursday night following a two-day hunt.
The victim's head and hands have not been found but a postmortem on Wednesday revealed she had had breast and bottom implants, which had serial numbers.
These led detectives to the cosmetic hospital where she had undergone surgery and she was identified from medical records.
"We believe we know the identity of the elder victim of the double murder. However we await formal identification through DNA, which may take some time," a Scotland Yard spokeswoman said.
Mr Hardy was still being questioned last night about her death and the murder of another younger woman, who has yet to be identified.
But fears for the safety of a third woman, Kelly Anne Nicol, 24, receded yesterday when relatives, including her mother Jacqueline, told detectives she had been in contact with them in recent days.
Police stressed yesterday that Mr Hardy was only being questioned about two deaths at this stage.
"The present murder investigation is into the two bodies found in Camden, north London," the spokeswoman said.
"Despite maintaining an open mind regarding the possible outcome of the investigation this inquiry is not being linked to any other murder at this time and will not be unless there is strong intelligence or forensic evidence to do so."
However, the Regent's Canal, which is near Mr Hardy's flat in Camden, is still being searched by police divers and remote control cameras have also been put in the drains. "We are still hoping to find the body parts that are missing," said a source.
Mr Hardy was arrested on Thursday evening near Great Ormond Street hospital in central London after a tip-off from a member of the public who recognised him from police appeals.
Hours earlier, Commander Andy Baker, who is in overall charge of Scotland Yard's murder inquiries, told a press conference that Mr Hardy, a divorced father of four, had been to University College hospital on New Year's Day seeking medication for an illness related to diabetes.
He left when staff asked him for his address. A CCTV image showed he had shaved off his beard, and nurses formed the impression he had been living on the streets.
With extensions, detectives could hold Mr Hardy for up to 96 hours before having to release or charge him. Mr Baker said the deaths of the two women were not being linked to the murder of prostitute Paula Fields, 31, whose body was found in the Regent's Canal in February 2000.
Her body was cut into six pieces and put in hold-alls. Her head was never found.
The present investigation was launched when a vagrant looking for food rummaged through bin liners behind a pub in Camden, on Monday morning.
He found parts of a leg, and when police conducted a search remains were discovered in a number of plastic bags.
Police believe that the forensic analysis of Mr Hardy's flat could take days, if not weeks.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,868423,00.html