Nurse Rui Li's husband charged with murder, say Dorset Police

Rui Li was last seen leaving Poole Hospital in Poole, Dorset, at around 6pm on Friday 23 May (PA)

The husband of nurse Rui Li, who was discovered dead in a car in Bournemouth, has been charged with her murder, Dorset Police have said.

Pierre Legris, 60, will appear before Bournemouth Magistrates' Court on Monday.

Rui Li was last seen leaving Poole Hospital in Poole, Dorset, at around 6pm on Friday 23 May (PA)

Officers discovered the body of 44-year-old Ms Li "concealed within a silver Fiat Punto", along Verwood Crescent in north Bournemouth yesterday.

She was last seen by her daughter more than a week ago and reported missing on Tuesday.

Legris's 26-year-old son, also from Bournemouth, remains in custody after detectives were granted additional time to question him.

Detective Inspector Marcus Hester, of the major crime investigation team, said: "Family Liaison Officers have updated Rui's daughter with these developments - clearly, this is a very difficult time for her as she tries to come to terms with the loss of her mother.

"I would urge members of the media to show consideration and respect her privacy.

"It is also important to stress - as is typical in such circumstances - that it would be entirely inappropriate for Dorset Police to comment further ahead of the trial. It is vital that the justice system is allowed to follow its course."

Formal identification has not yet taken place and the inquest will be opened in due course, a police spokesman added.

Specialist officers began forensically examining the Fiat Punto and the surrounding area yesterday, some four miles from Ms Li's home address in Burnham Drive.

Ms Li, a nurse at Poole Hospital, was last seen alive by her 18-year-old daughter at her home on May 23.

Lu Yao had previously made an emotional appeal for her mother to get in touch and for members of the public to come forward with information.

Detectives said Ms Li moved to the UK from China a decade ago and had worked at the hospital since 2009.

They said Ms Li lived "quite a private personal life" and officers were trying to build a picture of her lifestyle.

Mr Hester added: "This latest development does not mean we do not want to hear from members of the public if they have any information that could help with the investigation into Rui Li's death.

"We still very much want to hear from anyone who may have any information about what happened to Rui Li.

"In particular we would like anyone with information about the movements of two vehicles - a silver Fiat Punto with registration plate W887 PDL and a large white Ford Transit van with registration plate Y491 GFT - between Saturday 24 May and Wednesday 28 May 2014 to contact police."

PA