Glasgow police detain man for questioning

Police investigating the disappearance of Irish student

Karen Buckley

in Glasgow have detained a 21-year-old man for questioning and say they are

following a definite line of inquiry.

The man had not been formally arrested last night as police continued their investigation into Ms Buckley’s disappearance, which remained a missing person inquiry.

Police would not comment on when the man was detained or where he was being held for questioning about the disappearance of Ms Buckley, from Mourneabbey near Mallow in north Co Cork.

Ms Buckley (24) was last seen leaving the Sanctuary nightclub on Dumbarton Street in Partick in the West End of Glasgow with a young man at about 1am on Sunday.

CCTV footage

Police subsequently identified the man captured with her on CCTV footage and traced him to a flat at Dorchester Avenue in Kelvindale, some five kilometres from the nightclub.

Police officers cordoned off the building on Dorchester Avenue where the man shares an upstairs flat with another tenant, and forensic officers yesterday afternoon began a search of the building.

Officers later cordoned off land near High Craigton farm and Windyhills Golf Club on a country road between Glasgow and Drymen. Fire engines were seen arriving at the farm last night. On Tuesday police appealed for information about a grey car spotted on the road between 11am and 3pm the previous day.

The detention of the 21-year- old man came a day after police confirmed they had spoken at length with him regarding his contact with Ms Buckley.

Speaking at a police press conference on Tuesday, Det Supt Jim Kerr, who is leading the investigation, said police were not at that time treating the man as a suspect but were "gravely concerned" for Ms Buckley's safety.

“We have traced that man [seen with Ms Buckley on the CCTV footage outside Sanctuary], who claims he was intimate with her consensually in the early hours of Sunday,” Supt Kerr said. “We only have one person’s version of events thereafter.”

Verified sighting

A Glasgow police spokeswoman told

The Irish Times

the last confirmed sighting of Ms Buckley was when she left the Sanctuary nightclub at 1am and there was no verified sighting of her since.

Ms Buckley’s brother, Kieran, who lives in Australia, flew into Glasgow from Sydney yesterday to be with his parents, John and Marian, who issued a heartfelt appeal for their daughter’s safe return.