Tyrone: PSNI Still Searching For Remains and Killer Of Teenager Arlene Arkinson (15) 20 Years On: *UPDATED

*Police failed to properly investigate the disappearance of Arlene Arkinson, the police ombudsman has found.

The 15-year-old went missing in Castlederg, County Tyrone, in 1994. Her body has never been found, but she is believed to have been murdered.

The ombudsman's office said police treated her disappearance as a missing person inquiry for too long rather than a potential abduction or murder.

It also said they took too long to arrest the main suspect, Robert Howard.

Although they had grounds to do this within 48 hours of her disappearance, it did not happen until 46 days after Arlene had first been reported missing.

As a result, police were not able to get the clothing Howard wore on the night of the disappearance and it allowed him the opportunity to dispose of evidence.

Arlene vanished near her home in Castlederg after attending a disco at Bundoran in County Donegal with friends in August 1994.

She was last seen in a car driven by Howard.

Howard was questioned and later charged with her murder, but he was found not guilty in court three years ago.

He is currently serving life for the rape and murder of a 14-year-old London girl.

The ombudsman investigated the case after a member of Arlene Arkinson's family complained that police had failed to properly investigate her disappearance.

The ombudsman found that police did conduct "quite a thorough initial investigation", focusing on Arlene's last known movements.

"The investigating officer correctly identified areas for searches, spoke to key witnesses and quickly identified inaccuracies in their accounts," it said.

However, it added the fact that Arlene had never been reported missing before and she was last seen in the company of a known sex offender should have alerted police sooner that it was a potential murder investigation.

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*Specimens of blood belonging to two women have been discovered by police probing the murder of a schoolgirl in Northern Ireland.

Arlene Arkinson, 15, disappeared from Co Tyrone 20 years ago but her body has never been recovered. In 2005 convicted child killer Robert Howard, who was the last person seen with her, was found not guilty of murder.
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*Predator In The Badlands: LINK: www.theguardian.com/uk/2006/mar/25/northernireland.ukcrime  

The blood was found during a 2012 search at a derelict flat in the victim's home town of Castlederg. Tests confirmed the specimens were not from Arlene but neither registered on a DNA database.

Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Detective Superintendent Karen Baxter said: "On the 20th anniversary of Arlene's disappearance, I would ask that any woman who was in this flat, at 49a Main Street which has since been demolished, at any time to make contact with police.

"They have a story to tell and we want to hear it. Their assistance could be beneficial to the investigation."

Arlene went missing in August 1994 after a night out at a disco across the Irish border in Co Donegal.

Howard was acquitted by a jury unaware of his history of sex attacks and his conviction for murdering south London teenager Hannah Williams in 2001.

The 69-year-old is serving a life sentence at HMP Frankland in County Durham.

Police in Northern Ireland have said they interviewed a man in England as part of a new hunt for Arlene.

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Today marks 20 years since teenager Arlene Arkinson went missing in Tyrone.

Police believe she was murdered, and a search for her remains and killer has been ongoing.

Arkinson was 15 when she disappeared. She was last seen in the early hours of 14 August 1994.

The teenager disappeared after a night out in Bundoran.

In 2005 convicted child killer Robert Howard (61), stood trial for Arlene’s murder but was acquitted. He was the last person seen with Arlene before she disappeared.

New leads

In September of last year, the PSNI moved to look in a new location after receiving new information about her death.

An inquest into her death was ordered in 2007, and was held in April of this year. However, it was adjourned due to a new development in the case.

Speaking to the Derry Journal earlier this week, Arkinson’s family said that they are convinced her remains will be located.

The PSNI have appealed in the past for anyone who saw a blue Metro car in the Scraghy Road area of Castlederg on August 14, 1994, to make contact with them.