London arrests over Danielle murder

Five men were arrested in London over the drive-by murder of schoolgirl Danielle Beccan.

Met officers pulled over a car in Grosvenor Road in Pimlico for a routine stop-and-search on Monday evening, Scotland Yard revealed today.

But after talking to the men the officers decided to place them under arrest and last night they were transferred to Nottingham for questioning over the shooting of 14-year-old Danielle.

The men are today being interviewed separately about the killing.

Danielle was shot in the abdomen yards from her house as she returned from a night at a fairground with friends in the early hours of Saturday morning. The girl, a pupil at Elliot Durham comprehensive, was struck by one of several shots fired from a passing gold-coloured car which was carrying several people.

The area where the shooting took place is a known crime hotspot but officers have been unable to establish why Danielle or her friends should have been caught up in the violence.

A spokesman for Nottingham police confirmed the five men had arrived in the city for questioning last night but refused to give details of either their ages or home towns.

The arrests are the first significant development since Sunday, when another person was arrested but later released without charge.

News of the latest arrests came hours after Danielle's mother Paula Platt issued an appeal for witnesses.

The 32-year-old, who cradled her dying daughter in her arms after hearing the shots from her home, said: "I always knew Danielle was bright and intelligent. She was destined for great things.

"Danielle could put her hands to anything. She was so creative, always drawing, doodling and writing stories. She was ambitious and I wanted her to touch the world - but not like this.

"I feel very angry. At this moment my child is lying in a refrigerator. She should not be there.

"My daughter has been taken away from me and no parent should have to go through this. Someone must know who did this. I cannot believe they have gone home and not acted differently. I want to speak directly to parents - if my child did something like this I couldn't harbour them. If anyone knows anything, please examine your consciences and come forward. Danielle deserves justice."

Despite the latest arrests Superintendent Dave Colbeck, of Nottingham police, renewed his appeal for witnesses to show courage in the face of intimidation. "If one or two people come forward it becomes a problem because of threats but if 100 people come forward the problem is theirs," he said. "There were a number of people in that car and we need to speak to these people. Some of them may or may not have known what was going to happen that night.

"Come to us - we will protect you. This has gone a stage too far."

Nottingham's religious leaders today condemned Danielle's murder in a joint statement, saying: "Our thoughts and prayers are with her parents, her family and all her friends. Gun crime is an evil which we must combat. We are not prepared to see the acts of a few blight the lives of so many."