Clive Sharp to enter plea to Catherine Gowing murder charge at Mold Crown Court

Jan 14 2013 by Dave Goodban, Flintshire Chronicle

THE man accused of killing Flintshire vet Catherine Gowing will appear before a Crown Court judge today (Monday) to enter a plea.

Former Deeside High School pupil Clive Sharp, originally from Sealand, is charged with the 37-year-old’s murder and is due at Mold Crown Court at noon.

Sharp, 46, of Bethesda, Gwynedd, was charged with murder on October 19, a week after Ms Gowing was last seen alive at Asda Queensferry.

On October 18 her burnt-out car had been found abandoned in woodland off Pinfold Lane in Alltami, two miles from her home in Cae Isa, New Brighton.

Specialist search teams found body parts in a shallow pool off Manor Road in Sealand, known as the Lum, on October 31, and more remains were discovered on the banks of the River Dee three miles away at Higher Ferry two days later.

North Wales Police said the hunt for Miss Gowing’s remains is the biggest in the force’s history, with 7,000 man-hours being dedicated to the search by the end of November.

The force has since scaled down the search, but a spokesman said it will continue to investigate information from the public.

Miss Gowing, originally from County Offaly in the Republic of Ireland, had been living in Flintshire for about 18 months after qualifying from a university in Budapest, Hungary. She worked at Evans Veterinary Practice in Clayton Road, Mold.

Mark Bridger, 47, of Machynlleth, Powys, is also due to enter a plea at Mold today. He is accused of abducting and murdering five-year-old April Jones in Machynlleth, as well as attempting to pervert the course of justice following her disappearance in October.