Mary Ann arson riddle

The murder inquiry into the death of Mary Ann Leneghan took a dramatic turn today when it emerged that the home of the friend who survived the attack was recently firebombed.

The new lead emerged as a close friend revealed that 16-year-old Mary Ann had once gone missing for almost a month after she "got in with the wrong crowd".

Detectives confirmed they were investigating possible links between the murder and an arson attack on the 18-year-old survivor's home.

Former neighbour Tessa Newport, who was like a "second mother" to Mary Ann, said she was a wonderful girl but in recent months had been influenced by new friends.

She and her husband Andrew believe the murder is linked to the arson attack two weeks ago, which damaged the 18-year-old's front door. Mr Newport said: "I personally think it is too coincidental."-Police said the attack was being investigated.

Mrs Newport, 41, who had known Mary Ann since she was a toddler and whose daughter was a close friend of the teenager, described how she became rebellious last year and at one stage disappeared for about a month. Although she stayed with friends in east Reading, she did not tell her family where she was.

Mrs Newport said: " She just left. Her mother was really worried. She went missing for about a month without calling home."

Mary Ann and her friend were abducted from a Reading pub car park by six men on Friday night and driven to a hotel where they were tortured and sexually assaulted. A third girl managed to escape. She is now being interviewed by police under armed guard.

After a five-hour ordeal the two girls were taken to nearby Prospect Park where Mary Ann was stabbed to death and her friend shot in the head.

The friend regained consciousness and managed to crawl to a road and flag down a passing motorist. She remains seriously ill in hospital but has been able to give police crucial details of the attack and her assailants.

She is believed to have survived because the bullet used is thought to have been home-made.

Detectives are today still questioning a man in his twenties who was arrested in south London. Four other men have been arrested and released on bail pending further inquiries.

Detectives say the girls were deliberately targeted. Mr and Mrs Newport blame this on Mary Ann's new friends.

Mrs Newport said: "She just went in with the wrong crowd, people in the neighbourhood.

"Her mum kept telling her not to hang around with them, but you know what teenagers are like."

Mr Newport said: "If there was any problems or trouble, she would not have been the cause of it."

Detective Superintendent Mark Warwick said he "could not exclude drugs" from the investigation. He refused to comment on reports that the girls had their heads shaved and that they had been forcibly drugged.