14/10/2008

Murdered Teenager Hannah 'Made 999 Call'

A teenage girl who was abducted and murdered, made an emergency call to try and escape her alleged captor, a jury has heard.

Hannah Foster, a 17-year-old A-level student made the 999 call so the operator could hear her conversation with 40-year-old Maninder Pal Singh Kohli - who is accused of kidnapping, raping and murdering her - Winchester Crown Court today heard.

According to the prosecution, the operator was unable to hear what was being said and as a result the call was disconnected, but the accused can be heard speaking on a recording of the conversation.

Ms Foster disappeared on 14 March 2003 following a night out with friends.

She was found strangled two days later in Allington Lane in West End, near Southampton.

Nicholas Haggan QC, prosecuting, told the court she had walked the short distance from a bus stop to her home in Southampton when she disappeared.

"At 11pm that evening, Hannah managed to use her mobile phone to contact the emergency services," Mr Haggan said. "It was quite obvious from the recording that she was in a moving vehicle. In that vehicle with her was a man.

"That man was speaking to her in a heavily-accented voice."

Mr Kohli, a sandwich delivery driver, denies the charges of murder, rape, kidnap and false imprisonment.

The trial continues.

(JM)

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