Boy held over student's murder is sent to secure hospital

A boy aged 16 arrested in connection with the murder of Marsha McDonnell has been sent to a secure mental hospital, police said yesterday.

The teenager, the fourth person arrested in connection with the murder, is unfit to be interviewed by detectives and has been detained under the Mental Health Act.

He was arrested on Tuesday at his home in Hampton, south-west London, where Ms McDonnell, 19, also lived. She was murdered near her home after a night out on 4 February.

Police have linked two similar attacksto her murder. An 18-year-old boy and a 17-year-old girl were attacked in the area on 25 February and 8 January respectively. In both incidents the culprit acted without an apparent motive, using a blunt instrument after dark.

Police said the boy, who was arrested in connection with the three attacks, had been apprehended after a tip-off.