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Monday, 15 April, 2002, 11:44 GMT 12:44 UK
Backpacker police hope to jog memories
State Emergency Services search the Burnett River bank area
Another police search threw up no clues
Police in Australia hope a mannequin will jog memories about the last moments of murdered British backpacker Caroline Stuttle.

Ms Stuttle, 19, from York, died on Wednesday after falling or being thrown from a bridge in Bundaberg, Queensland, following what police believe was a violent robbery.

A man questioned by police about the death has been remanded in custody on unrelated drugs charges.

Officers have placed a mannequin dressed to resemble Ms Stuttle outside a shopping mall and a post office in the town, in the hope of reminding people of anything they saw.

Mannequin dressed like Caroline Stuttle with police notice
The mannequin has generated no new leads
The mannequin was dressed in a beige corduroy skirt and blue hooded jumper similar to clothes worn by Ms Stuttle on the night she died.

Detective Inspector Jeff Oliphant said he hoped it would remind passers-by whether they saw Ms Stuttle talking to anyone, or being followed as she crossed the bridge.

Queensland Police said they would also place the mannequin near the bridge in coming days.

However, they said it had generated no significant new leads during its time in the town centre.

"So far, there has not been a lot of information or anything significant put forward," said a spokeswoman.

Drug charges

Police have also made another search of the park and river banks around the area, but nothing was found.

Ms Stuttle's mobile phone and bag were still missing, said the spokeswoman.

Picture of Ms Stuttle taken by friend Sarah Holliday in Broome, West Australia
Ms Stuttle had backpacked for two months
The man questioned by police was arrested after he walked into a police station voluntarily following calls from local people stating he looked like an e-fit issued of a man seen following Ms Stuttle.

Jeremy Richard Wilson, 21, was questioned by police and visited the scene of the crime with them.

He appeared in court charged with possession of illegal drugs, failing to answer probation and failing to appear at the court on Friday to answer the charges.

He was remanded in custody for 24 hours pending another hearing.

Police have not described him as a suspect, but have said he was "of interest" to them.

Police have taken DNA samples from him and other witnesses, and have asked people in the area at the time to come forward for testing so they could be eliminated from the search.

'Traumatised'

Ms Stuttle was found dead after walking to the Bundaberg post office to phone her boyfriend in England.

She was on the 10-minute walk back over the Burnett River bridge to the Riverdale Caravan Park at about 2115 local time, when the killer struck.

A post-mortem confirmed Ms Stuttle died from massive spinal and head injuries, and had other minor injuries to suggest a struggle before her death.

Her mobile phone and handbag were missing, suggesting a robbery.

Her travelling companion Sarah Holiday, 20, also from York, is understood to have returned home.

She was said to be "very traumatised" and did not want to speak to the press.

 WATCH/LISTEN
 ON THIS STORY
News image The BBC's Phil Mercer in Bundaberg
"Detectives have taken DNA samples from several witnesses"
News image Detective Inspector Jeff Oliphant
"We've been interviewing a number of people who've been seen in and around the Burnett river bridge"
See also:

14 Apr 02 | Asia-Pacific
Backpacker police in DNA probe
13 Apr 02 | Asia-Pacific
A community in shock
12 Apr 02 | Asia-Pacific
Backpacker police release e-fit
12 Apr 02 | Asia-Pacific
'A wonderful daughter'
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