Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Rod Minchin

Man to face trial accused of murdering missing woman

PA Archive

A man will face trial next year accused of the murder of a woman who disappeared a decade ago.

Darren Osment appeared before Bristol Crown Court accused of murdering 32-year-old Claire Holland.

The shaven-headed 40-year-old faces a three-week trial before a High Court judge beginning on March 13 2023.

Judge Peter Blair QC, The Recorder of Bristol, said a pre-trial preparation hearing would take place on November 14.

Osment, of Chessel Drive, Patchway, South Gloucestershire, did not enter a plea to the single charge he faces.

A man has now been charged with the murder of Claire Holland who was last seen alive 10 years ago leaving a pub in Bristol (Avon and Somerset Police/PA) (PA Media)

Mark Linehan, representing the defendant, did not make an application for bail and Osment was remanded into custody until his next court appearance.

The judge told Osment: “We are going to have another court hearing on November 14 to deal with further case management directions making sure you have the material from the prosecution that you need, and your lawyers need in order to represent your case and respond.

“In the meantime I am going to remand you into custody and there is no bail application being made today.”

On Thursday, Bristol Magistrates’ Court heard he is accused of murdering Ms Holland on a date between June 5 and June 8 2012.

Ms Holland, from the Lawrence Weston area of Bristol, was last seen leaving city-centre pub Seamus O’Donnell’s at 11.15pm on June 6 2012, the day after the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee weekend.

She was reported missing a few days later, and has not been seen or heard from since despite several mass searches and appeals for information.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.