A MAN arrested by detectives in the Claudia Lawrence investigation on suspicion of perverting the course of justice has tonight been released on police bail pending further inquiries.
The 46-year-old from York was arrested this morning and was interviewed in custody while searches and forensic enquiries continue.
The announcement comes after police carried out a detailed search of The Acomb pub in Kingsway West, York.
About eight police vehicles - including one from Durham Constabulary - with officers, including scenes of crime and dog handlers, have been at the scene since about 8am this morning.
Several sources say the search is linked to the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of Claudia Lawrence.
Most police at the scene are from North Yorkshire Police but one van from Durham Police has also arrived at the scene, and officers with dogs and hammer equipment have gone into the pub.
Earlier this evening the sound of drilling could be heard coming from the premises.
Police officers were seen searching a fenced off area next to the pub's beer garden.
Martin Dales, a spokesman for Miss Lawrence's father, Peter, said: "Peter remains very grateful for all the hard work that North Yorkshire Police are continuing to put in to finding Claudia.
"It is to be hoped that this is another vital piece in the jigsaw of information that needs to come in to the police: it is much better if people volunteer information than wasting valuable police time in them having to find it out for themselves and then come looking for people.”
A 59-year-old man arrested on May 13 on suspicion of murdering Claudia Lawrence remains on police bail while enquires continue.
BELOW: Police carry out detailed search of The Acomb pub, in York
One local resident said: "I was on my way to work at 8am and there was one police car here. When I came back a couple of hours later there were vans, dogs and police in CSI suits."
Another local resident said police were "swarming" around the area shortly after 8am.
Martin Hill, 54, of Tudor Road, said: "I went to bed about 1am and there was nothing going on and when I woke up at 10am I opened my curtains and saw police cars and vans everywhere.
"I have lived here for 13 years and you get the occasional noisy night, but there's never been any major trouble in the pub. I have never seen this much activity outside the pub before so it was quite surprising."
Sheila Overall, 54, a grandmother of four, also of Tudor Road, said: "We got up about 8am and the police were everywhere. I was up and down through the night, but I never heard anything."
Carla Dundas, 28, of St Stephen's Road, said: "By the look of things, it is not a normal police incident as there are so many police cars here. I don't know what to believe."
Darlington-born Miss Lawrence, a chef at York University, disappeared in 2009 aged 35. Despite one of the biggest investigations ever mounted by North Yorkshire police there has been no trace of her since.
New lines of inquiry to emerge from a major case review is that she had been spending time in the Acomb area in the weeks before she vanished.
Police also made a direct appeal to taxi drivers who may have dropped her off in Acomb sometime before she disappeared or picked her up early in the morning.
They also found her missing silver Samsung D900 mobile phone was active in the Acomb area in the weeks before she vanished.
Miss Lawrence and her family came from Darlington and later moved to Malton, North Yorkshire, where she was brought up.
She was last seen at about 3pm on March 18, 2009, after she had walked to her Heworth Road home from work at York University's Goodricke College. She never turned up for her 6am shift the next day.
Anyone with information that could assist the investigation should contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 1, and pass details to the Force Control Room. Please quote “Claudia Lawrence” when passing on details.
Information can also be passed to the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, quoting “Claudia Lawrence, North Yorkshire Police”. Alternatively, go to www.crimestoppers-uk.org and fill in an Anonymous Online Form.
A £10,000 Crimestoppers reward is still available for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for Claudia’s disappearance.
For further information on the Claudia Lawrence investigation, please go to the dedicated microsite on the North Yorkshire Police website www.northyorkshire.police.uk/claudialawrence
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