Man arrested on suspicion of abducting missing Hull University student Libby Squire

A man has been arrested on suspicion of abducting missing Hull University student Libby Squire.

The 24-year-old was arrested at an address in Raglan Street, Hull, on Wednesday night, Humberside Police said.

Libby, 21, who went missing in the early hours of Friday February 1 has still not been found.

A police spokeswoman said: “The man remains in our custody, assisting us with our inquiries. We have not yet found Libby and doing so remains our top priority.

“Libby’s parents have been informed of the man’s arrest and we’re continuing to support them at this difficult time.”

Detective Superintendent Matt Hutchinson said: “We are still treating Libby’s disappearance as a missing person’s enquiry.

“I have said previously that we are keeping an open mind as to her whereabouts and that is still very much the case.

“Our number one priority is to find Libby Squire and we are still conducting extensive searches and appealing for any information from the public.”

He said detectives have spoken to a taxi driver and another motorist who stopped to help Libby on the night but he wanted to make it clear that neither are suspects in this enquiry.

He added: “My officers have been and will continue to work around the clock in our search for Libby.”

The address where the 24-year-old man was arrested is about half a mile from Miss Squire’s home on Wellesley Avenue.

Police said Libby was dropped off in a taxi near her home at around 11.29pm on Thursday, January 31 and was seen 10 minutes later on CCTV near a bench on Beverley Road, where a motorist stopped to offer help. She is believed to have been in this area until around 12.09am on Friday.

An intensive search has been underway by police and volunteers since Libby, whose full name is Liberty Anna, went missing and police say they have received hundreds of calls in the last week.

On Wednesday, Libby’s parents Lisa and Russ, from High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, issued a statement thanking everyone who has helped trying to find their daughter.

They said: “We have been overwhelmed with people’s kindness and support and it’s been incredible how all her friends, students at the university, and members of the public have joined together to help us look for her.”

A woman, who did not want to be named, told the Press Association on Wednesday that she had heard an ;urgent, panicked scream; outside her house at around 12.30am on Friday.

The woman, who lives near Miss Squire’s home, said the area is populated by students who make a lot of noise ‘any day of the week’.