Murder charge 27 years after woman's disappearance

A man has been charged with the murder of a woman who went missing more than 27 years ago.

Patricia Lashley had last been seen near her home in Hall Street, Dudley in September 1998.

Nearly three decades later Trevor Dunkley, 66, has been accused of her killing, West Midlands Police have confirmed.

He was remanded and is due to appear at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Monday.

Detectives are appealing for anyone who knew Lashley, known locally as Pat or Jade, and might be able to help them build a clearer picture of her life.

The mother of seven was known to have links to London, Newcastle, Wales and Scotland, and also used the names Jade, Vanessa and Tricia as well as the surname Bradford.

Police said she moved to Dudley in the mid-1990s and frequented the No Limits club and other pubs in the area.

It is understood she and Dunkley knew one another.

Det Insp Michelle Cordell said: "We want to hear from anyone who may have known or remembers meeting Patricia, or Trevor Dunkley.

"We know she was fairly well known in both Dudley town centre and Oldbury.

"Even if you already spoke to us at the time Patricia went missing, we still want to hear from you as we gather as much information as we can to help her family find some closure after nearly 30 years."

In 2017 the family of Lashley, who would now be aged 61 and a grandmother, issued a fresh appeal to trace her.

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