Murder arrest in connection with missing woman...

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A man has been arrested in connection with Ms Coulson's disappearance



A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder and kidnap after a woman who has been missing for a month failed to contact family on her birthday.

The 53-year-old is known to missing 34-year-old Reanne Coulson, from Coventry, and is in police custody.

Her family issued a "desperate" appeal after she was last seen on 21 May when CCTV captured her at St Mary & Benedict Church in Raglan Street at about 21:45 BST.

Police said it was "very out of character" for Ms Coulson not to have contacted her family on her birthday on 17 June.

Det Insp Nigel Box said Ms Coulson's family are being supported by specialist officers.

"We desperately need to find Reanne to make sure she is OK. Reanne's family are really worried and just want her home," he said.

"If you have any information, even if it's small please get in touch."

He said that Ms Coulson was known to travel around Coventry, Atherstone and Leamington Spa in Warwickshire.

Police are speaking to people who know Ms Coulson and examining CCTV.

A dedicated website has been set up where people can give information and they can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously.

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Second murder arrest in missing woman case

A second man has been arrested on suspicion of murder amid a family's plea for information on the whereabouts of a woman missing for a month.

The 42-year-old suspect was detained in the early hours of Tuesday in connection with the disappearance of Reanne Coulson, 34, from Coventry. He remained in custody, West Midlands Police said.

Ms Coulson was last seen at about 21:45 BST on 21 May when CCTV captured her as she visited a food bank at St Mary & Benedict Church on Raglan Street.

The force added that a 53-year-old man who had previously been arrested on suspicion of murder and kidnap had been released on bail with strict conditions.

Det Supt Jim Munro said the investigation was "moving very quickly" and the second arrest was a "significant development".

He added that it remained "really important" for the force to hear from anyone who had information about Ms Coulson's movements or whereabouts.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, her family acknowledged that Ms Coulson had been a sex worker and said it was "out of the ordinary" for her to not return home.

Her sister, Kirsten Coulson, said: "Reanne is not only my sister but my twin sister, a mum, a daughter and an aunt".

"Her life has not been easy for the last few years and we as a family are aware that she lived a chaotic lifestyle."

She added that her sister had not contacted her family on her birthday on 17 June and urged anyone who had seen her to get in touch.

A dedicated website has been set up for people to share information.

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Third arrest in hunt for missing Coventry mum Reanne Coulson



A third arrest has been made in the hunt to find missing Coventry mum Reanne Coulson [pictured]. Police have confirmed that a 38-year-old was detained just before 4pm yesterday (June 24) in the Coventry area.

They were taken into custody on suspicion of perverting the course of justice and they remain in custody today (June 26). Officers have also given an update on the 42-year-old man, who has not been identified, who was arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of the 34-year-old's murder,

The suspect remains in custody. Officers have until late tomorrow (June 27) to either release or charge the man.

The news comes as Reanne's mum, Lynne Sparks has issued an appeal in which she has said she wants her 'baby back'. In it, she has made a personal appeal to those with any information.

"Is there anybody out there that knows anything about Reanne’s disappearance?" it reads. "From one parent to another, you can only imagine how I’m feeling. Please come forward to give our family some closure."

The appeal concludes: "I just want my baby back."

This afternoon, police have confirmed that the search for the sex worker has 'entered a new phase'. Information has led to them to carry out searches in the Binley Woods.

Detective Superintendent Jim Munro, from the force's Major Crime Unit, says he believes locals know what has happened to her and appealed to them to 'do the right thing'.

"We are continuing to work flat out to find Reanne, and get the answers that her family so desperately need," DS Munro said. "I believe people in the Coventry area know what has happened to her. It may be that they are reluctant to come forward with information, but it’s vital that they do.

"Reanne is so loved by her family. Please do the right thing and help us find her, for their sake."

Anyone with any information about Reanne or has seen her is being urged to either contact a dedicated website here or call 101 quoting log 6621 of June 18. Information can also be given via the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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Body found in search for missing Reanne Coulson

Officers searching for missing Reanne Coulson have found a body and charged a man with her murder, West Midlands Police have said.

She had been missing for a month and failed to contact family on her birthday.

The body was discovered in Binley Woods, on the outskirts of Coventry, on Friday afternoon. Formal identification has yet to take place but police said they believed the body to be that of Ms Coulson.

Mohammed Durnion, 42, has been charged with murder while Adam Moore, 38, has been charged with assisting an offender.

Both men are due to appear at Coventry Magistrates‘ Court on Saturday.

On Thursday, West Midlands Police said a 53-year-old man who had previously been arrested on suspicion of murder and kidnap had since been released on bail with strict conditions.

Det Supt Jim Munro said the force had been focused on doing all it could to find Ms Coulson.

"We've charged a man with murder and another for assisting an offender, but our inquiries to establish exactly what happened and why are ongoing," he said.

Ms Coulson's older brother Ashley thanked the public for their help to find Reanne and asked that the family be left alone to grieve.

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Coventry labourer found guilty of manslaughter over death of mum Reanne Coulson



A Coventry labourer has been found guilty of the manslaughter of Reanne Coulson. Mohammed Durnion, who strangled mother-of-two Reanne Coulson and buried her body in a shallow grave in Binley Woods, has been cleared of murder at Warwick Crown Court.

Jurors at Warwick Crown Court deliberated for more than 10 hours over four days before clearing Mohammed Durnion of murder but finding him guilty of manslaughter by a majority 11-1 verdict.

The panel also convicted Durnion’s co-defendant and friend Adam Moore, aged 39, by an 11-1 verdict of assisting an offender by helping in the disposal of Reanne Coulson’s body a day after she was strangled.

Durnion stared at the floor and remained calm in the dock as the verdicts were returned.

The verdicts were returned eight minutes after Judge Kristina Montgomery KC gave the jury of seven women and five men a majority direction.

https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/coventry-labourer-found-guilty-manslaughter-33649985

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Killer who buried woman's body in woods jailed



A killer who is believed to have strangled a "beautiful, caring" mother-of-two before setting her body on fire and burying it in woodland has been jailed for 18 years.

As she passed sentence on Durnion, Judge Kristina Montgomery KC told the court he was a dangerous offender and there was a significant risk of violent reoffending.

She ruled that, while the cause of death had not been established, the evidence had shown the defendant strangled Coulson.

He will serve two-thirds of his sentence in custody and then be released on licence, the judge decided.

She said Coulson had been deeply loved by her family and was someone who helped others without hesitation.

She told Durnion he had shown "total contempt for her in life and in death".

"You put her body into a suitcase. You drove around with it on board, covering some considerable distance, to scope out locations where you might dispose of her body on land or in water," she said.

"There were fractures to the structures of the neck. I am satisfied that a hand placed around her neck was the means by which they were sustained."

The sentencing hearing was told Durnion had 14 previous convictions, including for battery and assault.



Durnion's friend and fellow ground worker Adam Moore, 39, was sentenced to six years in prison for assisting an offender by helping in the disposal of Coulson's body.

Moore, of Marlcroft, Willenhall, Coventry, will serve half his sentence in custody before automatic release on licence.

The judge told him: "You lied to police about your involvement in Reanne Coulson's burial, as you lied to the jury during your trial."

He had shown a total lack of conscience, she added, when telling officers he wished he had left the victim's body to rot.