03/04/2008

Woman Identified In Beach Body Parts Case

Police investigating the discovery of a severed head and hands on a beach in Arbroath in Angus have identified the dead woman.

The 36-year-old woman is believed to be a migrant worker from Eastern Europe who had been living in Brechin.

It is understood that she was reported missing by her employers.

Police said that they had received hundreds of calls in connection with the case and that one call had led them to a flat in Brechin's South Esk Street, where the woman had been reported missing by her employers.

Police are now trying to trace the woman's next-of-kin.

Detective Chief Inspector Graham McMillan, from Tayside Police, said: "The flat in South Esk Street in Brechin has been sealed off and officers are currently searching the property.

"We will be speaking to a number of people over the course of the day in a bid to establish the woman's last known movements, when she was last seen, and to establish the circumstances of her death.

"Establishing the identity of this woman is the first step in a very complex and detailed enquiry. I would urge anyone who has any information about this investigation to get in touch with us."

Two young sisters who were playing on the beach discovered the head in a plastic bag on Tuesday morning. The hands were discovered later.

The Coastguard also found "possible human material" on the shoreline at Carnoustie on Wednesday night.

Search trained officers recovered the material and it has been taken to the police mortuary in Dundee, where it will be forensically examined.

Police have appealed for anyone with any information to contact them on: 01307 302200 or Crimestoppers anonymously on: 0800 555 111.

(KMcA/JM)

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