Fourth man held over girl's death

The teenager was found dead from a stab wound to the neck

A fourth man has been arrested after a teenage girl was found murdered and her friend seriously injured in a park.

Mary-Ann Leneghan, 16, died in Prospect Park, Reading, Berkshire, in the early hours of Saturday and an 18-year-old friend was left with a gunshot wound.

The man, who is in his 20s and was arrested in London, is currently in custody. Three other men arrested on Saturday have been released on bail.

On Monday, police offered a £10,000 reward for information about the death.

Hope you are at peace, my darling Message left by Mary-Ann's mother

They have revealed that Mary-Ann, who suffered a single stab wound to the neck, was assaulted over several hours and may have been abducted.

Mary-Ann's father Bertie, 50, described her as "clever" and "artistic" but said she had fallen in with a bad group of people.

Fellow pupils at Prospect College in Tilehurst said she had "taken a turn for the worse" in recent months.

Before heading in for classes on Monday, Scott Yule, 16, who was in most of Mary-Ann's classes, said: "I saw her the day before she was killed.

"I saw her, her mate and some boys. She looked like she was with some dodgy people. She looked miserable and sad."

'Shock and mourning'

Prospect College said in a statement: "Mary-Ann was a year 11 student at the college. She was a popular and friendly student and was due to sit her GCSEs in a few days' time.

"The college is in a state of shock and mourning.

"Counselling will be made available for students and staff of the college."

On Monday Mary-Ann's father Bertie laid flowers at the spot where she was found.

Earlier her mother Sue left a floral tribute with a note which read: "Hope you are at peace, my darling. I love you and miss you babe."

Bertie Leneghan visited the spot where his daughter was found

Ch Supt Mark Warwick, of Thames Valley Police, said there had been "serious assaults throughout the evening, culminating in the death of the 16-year-old".

He added that the girls may have been abducted by a group of men driving a maroon or burgundy four-door saloon before being taken to a guest house.

Between 2200 BST and 2300 BST on Friday, the girls were in a white car in the car park of the Wallingford Arms in Caroline Street before going to the other car, parked in Wickes car park in Weldale Street.

It arrived at the Abbey Guest House in Connaught Road at 0100 BST.

The vehicle, which was playing loud music and contained the girls and up to six men, left between 0300 BST and 0500 BST.

Three addresses in the south London were searched by officers on Monday morning and a man was arrested at about 0400 BST.

Three other men in their 20s from the London area who were arrested in Reading on Saturday in connection with the incident were released on bail on Sunday.