Georgia Williams: Man appears before magistrates

Missing Georgia Williams. Picture: submitted

Jamie Reynolds, 22, is charged with murdering Georgia Williams, from Wellington, Telford, on May 26.

Reynolds, also of Wellington, Telford did not speak during the five-minute hearing at Telford Magistrates’ Court in Shropshire this morning.

Chairwoman of the bench Ann Hird remanded Reynolds, who appeared wearing a black jumper, into custody to next appear at Stafford Crown Court on Tuesday.

No friends or family were at today’s hearing.

The body of a young female was found on the Nant-y-Garth pass near Wrexham, north Wales, Superintendent Nav Malik of West Mercia Police told reporters.

Officers had been searching the location in connection with the disappearance of the girl, who has not been seen since Sunday.

Superintendent Malik said the body had not been positively identified, but early indications suggested it was linked to Georgia’s disappearance.

He said: “Within the last hour, following liaison with the Crown Prosecution Service,we have charged 22-year-old Jamie Reynolds with the murder of Georgia Williams.

“For obvious legal reasons, I am not in a position to talk to you about that, to ensure a fair court outcome in due course.

“Sadly, yesterday afternoon, new evidence came to light which identified that Georgia had in fact died at an address in Wellington, in Telford here, and clearly that information has led us to where we are today.

“I can also confirm that this afternoon the body of a female, a young female, has been found in woodland in the pass near Nant-y-Garth in Wrexham, north Wales.

“At this moment in time we haven’t identified that body, but early indications do suggest it’s linked to the disappearance of Georgia Williams.”

Superintendent Malik added that police had been liaising closely with Georgia’s family, “who are naturally devastated by the events of yesterday afternoon and late this afternoon as well.”

He said all investigations were challenging. “This has proved particularly challenging given that colleagues are working relentlessly, but also that one of the colleagues, Georgia’s father, is a police officer within this organisation here, and it’s been emotional for them.

“Whenever someone from a police family is involved, it is particularly distressing, clearly.”

He thanked the investigation team for the progress they had made, the Crown Prosecution Service, and policing partners for their support, and the public and press.

Reynolds would be going to Telford Magistrates’ Court in the morning, he said.

Earlier, friends of Georgia spoke of their hope of her safe return as they leafleted people in her home town of Wellington in a bid to raise awareness about her disappearance.

Georgia was last seen by her parents on Sunday evening when she told them she was going to see friends.

She was described by close friends as “bubbly”, with a great sense of humour.

Katy Lafferty, who was Georgia’s best friend and helped organise the leaflet drop, said her disappearance was “heart-breaking”.

The 17-year-old praised the support that had been expressed by thousands of people via social media.

Liam Ball who goes to New College in Telford, where Georgia attended lectures, described his friend as “friendly, bubbly and lovely with a great sense of humour”.

The 18-year-old, of Shifnal, said: “She is everything you could want in a friend.

“If I didn’t feel like I was doing something to help I just wouldn’t be coping.”