Homeless Peter Chapman, a man said to have links to Merseyside, was appearing in court today accused of the manslaughter and kidnap of a teenager whose body was found in a field in County Durham.
Durham Police have charged 32-year-old Chapman with the manslaughter and kidnap of 17-year-old Ashleigh Hall who is thought to have been killed after making contact with a stranger through Facebook.
Ashleigh was found dead in a field, near Sedgefield, after arranging to meet someone she had contacted over the internet. She had told family she was staying with a friend on Sunday night and would be home by lunch time on Monday.
The teenager, who was studying childcare at an FE college, was found fully-clothed and there was no evidence of sexual assault.
Homeless Chapman also faces a charge of failing to notify a new address as required for sex offenders under the Sexual Offences Act 2003.
Ashleigh's devastated mother Andrea has released an emotional statement paying tribute to her "loving" daughter and urged parents to protect their children on the internet.
She said: "No one can imagine the hurt and devastation that has hit our family. Ashleigh was loving, honest, caring and well-liked. Everybody loved her. She was a person who brought light into the lives of others.
"Ashleigh was in her last year at college on a child care course and hoped for a career as a child minder or nursery nurse.
"All the kids liked her, in the fact the whole community was fond of her and they have shown that love by rallying round to support us in our time of need.
"She was the eldest of four children and her sisters - Olivia, aged six, Ellie, four and one-year-old Evie have been distraught.
"To have Ashleigh taken from us in such circumstances is beyond belief and I don't want other families to suffer what we are going through.
"Tell your kids to be careful on the internet. Don't meet someone without telling your family where you are going. Don't trust anybody and don't put your children on Facebook or other sites if they are under age."
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