Karen Buckley gave jacket to a friend before leaving nightclub

Police investigating the disappearance and murder of Irish student Karen Buckley have established that she gave her jacket to a friend before leaving a nightclub in Glasgow on April 12th.

Investigating police were puzzled as to why Ms Buckley (24) would have left the Sanctuary nightclub on Dumbarton Road in Glasgow about 1am without collecting her jacket.

However, they have established she gave her jacket to a friend after a zip in the friend’s dress broke.

The development comes as Ms Buckley's parents, John and Marian, and their sons Brendan, Kieran and Damian, continue with preparations to receive their daughter's remains back at their home in Mourneabbey, north Cork.

Accused

Ms Buckley’s body remains in

Scotland

. The man accused of her murder, 21-year-old

Alexander Pacteau

from Glasgow, has exercised his right to an independent autopsy.

Under Scottish law, similar to Irish law, a person accused of murder or manslaughter can request to have their own postmortem carried out on the body of a homicide victim by their own pathologist. Initially scheduled for Wednesday, that autopsy was postponed and is now likely to take place Thursday.

Funeral Mass

Initially it was thought that Ms Buckley’s body might be released to the family by Wednesday but now it appears it is more likely to be Friday at the earliest.

It is understood the funeral Mass will take place at the Church of St Michael the Archangel in Analeentha in Mourneabbey with burial afterwards at Burnfort Cemetery, also in the parish.

Mr Pacteau is due to make his second appearance at Glasgow sheriff’s court tomorrow. He is also accused of attempting to defeat the ends of justice.

This article was amended on Thursday April 23rd 2015.