Updated 14.35pm
A HANDBAG BELIEVED to have belonged to missing student Karen Buckley has been found at a park in Glasgow.
Speaking at a press conference this afternoon, Detective Superintendent Jim Kerr of the Major Investigations Team, said that her handbag had been found at a park in Glasgow at around 2.10pm.
She has been missing since the early hours of Sunday morning after leaving the Sanctuary nightclub in the city where she had been with friends.
Kerr went onto say that they believed that Buckley travelled in a vehicle from Church Street in Glasgow to Dorchester Avenue with the man she had been seen with outside the nightclub on CCTV footage.
According to the police, the man – who is now assisting with their enquiries – had been intimate with Karen at his flat on Dorchester Avenue in the early hours of Sunday morning.
He is not being treated as a suspect in the case.
The police believe that Buckley was last seen on Dorchester Avenue at 4am on the Sunday morning on the way to her own accommodation.
Buckley’s parents - who were present at the press conference and appealed for their daughter’s safe return – had told the investigation that their daughter avoided taxis as she did not feel they were safe and was most likely on foot.
Other leads
Detective Superintendent Kerr also went on to say that the police were seeking information relating to a grey car that had been seen in the outskirts of the city on the Monday.
The car was described as having been seen in lay-bys and country roads. Kerr said it was a lead they were seeking to eliminate.
They also mentioned that they had spoken to a second man who had been connected with the incident and that he was also helping them with their enquiries. He was not being treated as a suspect.
It was also said by Kerr that earlier reports that she had been active on social media on the morning of the Sunday were incorrect.
Search
Karen has now been missing for more than 60 hours and police are continuing to appeal for information.
According to the initial police appeal:
“After having drinks in their flat on Saturday 11 April 2015, Karen and her friends left and went to Sanctuary nightclub in Dumbarton Road, Partick, arriving at 11.45pm.
“At 1am, Karen told friends that she was going to the toilet, but didn’t return. Karen did not pick up her jacket.”
The 24-year-old, who is originally from Cork, is a student at Glasgow Caledonian University and lives with three other student friends in a flat in Hill Street in the city.
Friends have tweeted photos of Karen dressed for her night out as part of the effort to trace her. She was wearing an all-in-one black jump suit with red high heels and a black handbag.
“Friends reported Karen missing on Sunday 12 April after feeling her behaviour to not return home was very out of character,” Police Inspector Gavin Smith said.
Her friends say she would always contact them by text or phone to let them know where was and she doesn’t appear to have contacted anyone.
“Karen had been drinking alcohol with her friends but they say she was not drunk and are very worried about her,” Smith continued.
Her parents have also flown over from Ireland as they believe this behaviour is very unusual and not like Karen at all.
Officers have appealed for anyone who sees Karen to get in contact on the non-emergency number ’101′.
Additional reporting by Nicky Ryan and Michael Sheils McNamee
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