SKYDIVE MURDER _ UPDATE

[miked10270 0]

Hi all,

This off The Beeb:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/humber/3204423.stm

Skydive murder police arrest two


Stephen Hilder was an experienced skydiver
Police investigating the death of a skydiver who plunged 13,000 feet when his parachute was allegedly sabotaged have arrested two people.
Two 19-year-old men were arrested at 1245 BST on Wednesday on suspicion of murder.

They have been taken to separate police stations, where they are being interviewed by detectives.

Stephen Hilder, 20, an Army cadet from Hereford, died when both his main and reserve chutes failed above Hibaldstow Airfield in north Lincolnshire on 4 July.

Humberside Police had conducted hundreds of interviews of people who knew Mr Hilder, along with fellow students at the Defence Academy in Shrivenham, Oxfordshire and Bristol University.

A specialist officer with skydiving experience had been brought in to give the team of detectives a clearer insight into the world of skydiving and offer detailed technical knowledge.

Officers recently investigated Mr Hilder's movements in the days leading up to the fatal jump and considered the possibility he had arranged to meet someone in the Scunthorpe area.


The good (?) news:

Also on local TV news - the 2 suspects were fellow pupils at Shrivenham college, apparently NOT fellow skydivers
Mike.

Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable.

Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

[freefallfreak 0]

Thank you, Mike. Keep us updated as best you can. It's appreciated.

TripleF

[miked10270 0]

Hi there,

First update on lunchtime news.

"David Mason & Adrian Blair, both 19 years old and fellow students of the victim at Shrivenham college and team-mates of the victim have both been arrested. They continue to be held in seperate police stations in Humberside Force Area and questioned.

Their initial 24 hours are now up, let's see what extensions are granted or if they're charged.

Mike.

Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable.

Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

[mikemc 0]

I dont know the in and outs of procedure, but a colleague formerly in the police says - they can be kept for 12 hours, easily extended to 24. After 24 there must be special circumstances to extend(granted in this case) to keep them another 24.

Does any body know if they are released will the MP's get involved?

[mr2mk1g 10]

The special circumstances are fulfilled in this case simply because its a murder investigation. The officers only have to get their DCI to authorise it, (which they vitually always do).

In this case I believe there has been a 12 hour extention until midnight tonight. After that they must either be charged or released.

There is scope for further extension but they must be from a court and become progressively harder to get.

[mr2mk1g 10]

I doubt MPs will get involved, this is a civi investigation.

[miked10270 0]

Hi,

Confirming a 12 hour extension. This will be the last "internal" police extension.

This takes the questioning time out to 2345hrs GMT. By then the police have 3 options:

1. Charge the suspects - they'd then appear at court tomorrow.

2. Release the suspects without charge or "pending further enquiry".

3. Apply to a magistrate for a further extension for questioning or enquiry. This can be for a further 24 or 48 hrs.

It's common practice in serious crime to keep the suspects from being charged (and hence not questioned further) for as long as possible.

Reading between the lines of the news bulletins, if they've been named then there's little doubt how this is going to go. As I said earlier they're being held and questioned at seperate police stations, and I'm guessing that there's some discrepancies with their stories, hence the extension (which isn't granted lightly) by a senior police oficer.

Mike.

Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable.

Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

[Emma 0]

Quote

In this case I believe there has been a 12 hour extention until midnight tonight

Do you mind me asking how you know that? Out of interest. Thx

[mr2mk1g 10]

Yes, except the police have not released their names. They were leaked to local press by an unknown source. The police still refuse to confirm that they have them. National news agencies either don't name or repeat the statement of the local news station (even crediting them).

[miked10270 0]

Hi Emma,

ITN & the Beeb have both said it. ITN have named the suspects but the Beeb hasn't yet. I'm off work just now so it's easy to dive in when the news is on.

Mike.

Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable.

Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

[miked10270 0]

Incidentally... This from ITN...

http://www.itv.com/news/869873.html

Mike.

Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable.

Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

[miked10270 0]

UPDATE:

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the police applied for and got a 24 hour extension from a magistrate. This now takes them to 1800hrs GMT on Friday.

I THINK that they can still get a further 48 hours on top of this, which would take them into Sunday.

I guess we can now expect a formal charge and court appearance on Monday.

Mike.

Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable.

Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

[mr2mk1g 10]

The maximum available extention is up to 96 hours in total (including the initial 24). To get this is unbelievably rare though. Each time the police run out of time, they must get another court order to get a further extention of time. Each of these must be justified and the court becomes less and less receptive as time passes.

[JakGramley 2]

Quote

David Mason & Adrian Blair, both 19 years old and fellow students of the victim at Shrivenham college and team-mates of the victim have both been arrested.

In April of this year, a skydiver named David Mason, a visiting college student from the UK, was at Perris. I took this photo of him on April 4th, 2003. He came over with a friend of his named Adrian Blair. While I am uncertain as to the name of the individual on the left, the one on the right is the one I knew as David Mason. At that time he was a student at the Royal Military College of Science, at Shrivenham, Wiltshire.

Jack Gramley
Computer Consultant

[dgskydive 0]

If we only knew then what we know now! That's creepy if he really had something to do with it. I think I drank beers with him at the Bombshelter! I even paid

Dom

[QuickDraw 0]

Nobody has been proved guilty yet, i think i need a lot more evidence before i'll even consider anyone 'hung'.

-- Hope you don't die. --

I'm fucking winning

[Shark 0]

Quote

Nobody has been proved guilty yet, i think i need a lot more evidence before i'll even consider anyone 'hung'.

...like a smoking gun?

[QuickDraw 0]

Quote

...like a smoking gun?

Yes.. and a motive and proved beyond questionable doubt, like it should be.

As much as i want the killer or killers put to the sword, i would rather go through life being more vigilant with my gear than have an innocent man or woman rotting in jail.

-- Hope you don't die. --

I'm fucking winning

[Squeak 17]

Quote

Nobody has been proved guilty yet, i think i need a lot more evidence before i'll even consider anyone 'hung'.

I'm hung But I'm not showing you evidence

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?