Wiltshire constabulary issues European arrest warrant for Hayley Richards murder

June 18, 2005

In a statement today, Senior Investigating Officer Detective Superintendent Mike Veale named Hugo Quintas aged 23 of Seymour Court, Trowbridge, former boyfriend of Hayley Richards, as being wanted for her murder; and stated that a European warrant had been issued for his arrest. Richards, aged 23 and pregnant at the time of her murder, was found in her flat in Carders Corner, Trowbridge on the afternoon of Saturday June 11, 2005, with her throat slit. DS Veale stated that it was known that Quintas boarded a plane from Bristol Airport on Saturday afternoon, bound for Portugal, but that his present whereabouts are unknown.

DS Veale stated that Joaquim Sergio Da-Cunha, aged 29 who shared a house with Quintas, was arrested two days ago, and today appeared in court charged with perverting the course of justice, where he had been remanded in custody until June 24, 2005, when he will appear at Swindon Crown Court.

DS Veale also released a photograph of Quintas for publication and broadcast, and appealed for help from the public in connection with a car, an L-registered black Rover 200 SLI, which is now in the possession of the Wiltshire constabulary. He stated that he knew that it was in the Trowbridge area in the days leading up to the murder, and needed to know where it was during the period from the evening of Friday June 10, 2005, to the following afternoon.

DS Veale urged anyone who can help in connection with this particular line of enquiry to contact Wiltshire Police on +44 1380 735735 or (within the United Kingdom only) call Crimestoppers anonymously on +44 800 555 111.