Tuesday, 1 March 2011

Trial of Porthmadog man accused of Ffion murder due to start - North Wales News - News - Daily Post North Wales

THE trial of a man accused of killing a young care worker is due to start today.

Iestyn Davies, 53, of Porthmadog, will stand trial at Caernarfon Crown Court for the killing of Ffion Wyn Roberts.

The 22-year-old’s body was found in the Cut, a shallow drainage ditch near her home in New Street, Porthmadog, by a man walking his dog on the afternoon of April 10 last year.

She had last been seen at 4.20am that morning walking home after leaving the Union pub in Tremadog where she had been celebrating a friend’s birthday. Ffion had told friends she would be fine to walk the mile or so to her home on her own.

A post mortem showed she was strangled and there was evidence of drowning.

Following the grim discovery a massive police investigation was launched for her killer. Officers called at every home in Porthmadog, and statements were taken from more than 400 people.

During the investigation detectives revealed divers discovered Ffion’s empty handbag near a pair of tracksuit bottoms and an unusual size 10½ trainer shoe at a sluice gate half a mile from where her body was found.

Davies was arrested at the Wool Producers of Wales factory where he worked in Porthmadog at the end of June last year.

At earlier court appearances Davies has denied murder and the trial, being held before a Welsh-speaking judge, is expected to last between four and six weeks.