It has today been reported that information has come to light regarding the disappearance of Arlene Arkinson.
The Irish Independent report that “substantive information” has been “unearthed”, with the Arkinson family’s legal representative Ivor McAteer telling her inquest that “the family are delighted that the inquiries are moving forward.”
Two folders including information on leads pursued by the Gardaí, details of the various searches for Arlene, and information of an alleged meeting between Gardaí and a former girlfriend of Robert Howard were submitted to the coroner. The coroner’s barrister said that the files would be useful to the investigation.
15-year-old Tyrone girl Arlene vanished in 1994 after attending a disco in Donegal with friends. She was reportedly last seen being driven away by convicted child killer and sex offender Robert Howard.
Howard was acquitted of the schoolgirl’s murder in 2005 by a jury who were not informed of his grisly criminal history, including the 2001 murder of fourteen-year-old Hannah Williams in south London.
Howard remained the prime suspect in the unsolved case until his death in an English prison in 2015.
Despite extensive searches, Arlene’s body has never been recovered.
A search conducted in September 2016 came to an end after the PSNI found nothing suspicious after carrying out an extensive search of an area of disturbed earth in a remote area of Killen, Castlederg.
There has been controversy over the inquest, with Donegal-based Sinn Féin politician Pat Doherty calling it “disgraceful” that Arlene’s family had to wait over 20 years for an inquest.
The inquest has been ongoing since February 2016. The next hearing is scheduled for the 23rd of October.
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