Have spent the weekend in Hull picking my child for the summer, looking at the areas discussed and talking to my child's housemates one of whom lived on Wellesley avenue last year another who lived on Beresford road.
I asked to see Libby's bench which was beautiful and then we walked to Newlands avenue and on to where PR lived. His house is no longer boarded up which surprised my child. The curtains are new apparently and she wondered if his wife was back. I wondered if it had been re-let.
Several things struck me. The first (which won't be news for locals) is that looking at the map doesn't even begin to illustrate just how small the physical area of interest is. It took less than 10 minutes to get from Libby's bench to PR's house - passing about 99% of the locations on his charge sheet on the way. For non Hull inhabitants - he's barely moved at all.
Secondly my child's housemates confirmed that Haworth street was (until Libby's disappearance) indeed a very common short cut for students - especially those living in the Beresford, Wellesley, Heathcote roads area. They also confirmed there were lots of students living there.
It's easy to see why. You come out from those streets via Haworth onto Cottingham road (more student housing). Straight opposite is the Gardeners arms which I'm told is a popular student pub. Turn right and very quickly you get to Newlands Avenue where you find cheap shops, cafes, pubs, pizza places and lots more student houses in the side streets (including PRs street). Very busy with students in term time.
And of course if you don't turn down Newlands and continue, very quickly you're at the uni. Passing the first of the uni accomdation on the way.
Turn left - another student pub (Haworth) and favorite cheap student shop Lidl.
I was also told that Beresford, Wellesley etc were nice to live but a bit dark at night.
So whether Libby had forgotten her key or wanted to go elsewhere, her heading for the bench by Haworth now makes a lot of sense to me. Beverly road is a lit street with shops. She may have felt more secure there than in a darker, quieter residential street.
If she wanted to find other friends who hadn't gone to the club - whether at the pub, halls or possibly other addresses - or even be on the even busier Cottingham road, Haworth street was probably a short cut she'd used to there many times. It could be that was her initial aim
Another telling comment from my childs housemate was that if he'd wanted to help Libby home, it would have been quicker to walk her there than to drive.
That made think that he didn't park there because he'd seen Libby. He'd already allegedly offended in her road. Maybe that was just where he parked?
Logically Libby and PR would have approached Haworth from opposite directions. No reason for him to go onto Beverley road. No reason for him to go there other than to offend in some way. Lots of shops on his doorstep - including a polish shop on the corner. I wonder if that's where he parked to offend in that area
