Man charged with murder of Claire Holland who went missing in 2012
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Man charged with murder of Claire Holland who went missing in 2012

A MAN has been charged with the murder of a woman who was reported missing in June 2012.

Claire Holland, then aged 32, was last seen last seen leaving Seamus O'Donnell's Irish pub in St Nicholas Street in Bristol at around 11.15pm on Wednesday, June 6, 2012.

Ms Holland, from Lawrence Weston, Bristol, was reported missing a few days later but has not been seen or heard from since.

Last November, Avon and Somerset Police launched an appeal asking anyone who was in Seamus O'Donnell's on the night of Ms Holland's disappearance to contact them.

On Tuesday, the force revealed they had rearrested a man on suspicion of her murder.

Darren Osment, 40, of Chessel Drive, Patchway, Bristol, was charged with Ms Holland’s murder on Wednesday and appeared before Bristol Magistrates' Court the following day.

"This is a pivotal moment in our investigation and we have updated Claire's family now that a man has been charged with her murder," said DS Gary Haskins after Osment was charged.

"We'll continue to provide any support they may need through our specialist family liaison officer."

Osment did not enter a plea and no application for bail was made.

He has been remanded into custody ahead of a pre-trial preparation hearing on November 14.

A trial is due to get under way on March 13, 2023 and is expected to last three weeks.