Abigail police face wait of weeks

Police said Mrs Witchalls' son, Joseph, had acted out events

Police hunting a man who stabbed Abigail Witchalls say they may have to wait weeks before they know if any of their 32 suspects is her attacker.

Officers are working through the list drawn up after more than 700 calls from the public - naming two people twice.

Forensic work is now the focus of the inquiry after Mrs Witchalls failed to pick out a man questioned for two days.

Her son's buggy, which she was pushing before the attack in Little Bookham, Surrey, is being examined by experts.

A 25-year-old man arrested over the stabbing was freed without charge on Friday, but has not been ruled out.

Reconstruction planned

On Monday officers were running the list of names through the National Criminal Operations Faculty database, a file of criminal records often used during major police inquiries.

Surrey Police said Mrs Witchalls would be spending the day with her family visiting her in hospital.

Officers said on Sunday the profile of the man they are hunting includes someone with a definite history of violence, a strong connection to the area and knowledge of its criss-crossing paths and shortcuts, and ready access to a blue car.

It is a crime that has touched the nation and also touched my officers Mark Rowley, Surrey Police

Officers have collected material from the lane where the attack happened and have seized 468 exhibits, many of which have now been sent for tests.

Det Supt Adrian Harper, who is leading the investigation, said: "It can take either days or weeks, depending on whether the exhibit in question is straightforward fingerprints or something with a low-profile DNA, which would have to be magnified to yield any valid results."

The attack happened at 1600 BST on 20 April near a school and a mother and toddler group. Police believe other parents may have seen the attacker.

Detectives are planning to stage a full reconstruction of Mrs Witchalls' walk from the mother and toddler group to the land where she was stabbed, in the coming weeks.

Officers are also creating a fresh image of the knifeman. Mrs Witchalls is reviewing the description she gave officers of the man and will be interviewed again.

Police said Mrs Witchalls' bravery was extraordinary

Mrs Witchalls will also be shown colour cards and photographs of different models of cars to try to discover the exact vehicle her attacker was driving.

"We cannot say with certainty whether it is a dark blue estate car, as originally described by Abigail," a Surrey Police spokeswoman said.

Forensic evidence is also being reviewed, but police have warned the process could be slow.

A team of 100 officers has made 605 inquiries, and taken more than 100 statements.

Left for dead

Asst Chief Constable Mark Rowley called the attack "shocking and emotive" and said officers were working 14 to 16-hour days.

"It is a crime that has touched the nation and also touched my officers.

"They cannot help but to take their jobs home with them.

"There is a real determination to solve this case."

The attacker left the 26-year-old mother for dead in a Surrey country road after holding a knife to her 21-month-old son's throat.

She suffered a three-inch stab wound to her neck which damaged her spine.

Despite being paralysed, she has been able to communicate with detectives from her hospital bed at St George's Hospital, London, through facial expressions.