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Co Armagh man denies murdering Newry teenager Caroline Graham almost 30 years ago

Barbara Graham, pictured in June 2014, appealing for information about the disappearance of her daughter Caroline. Picture by Alan Lewis/ Photopress
Barbara Graham, pictured in June 2014, appealing for information about the disappearance of her daughter Caroline. Picture by Alan Lewis/ Photopress Barbara Graham, pictured in June 2014, appealing for information about the disappearance of her daughter Caroline. Picture by Alan Lewis/ Photopress

A CO Armagh man has denied involvement in the disappearance and murder of a Newry teenager almost 30 years ago.

The suspect from Portadown insists he does not know what happened to Caroline Graham (19) and said "there is no evidence to connect me to anything".

It comes as the family of the teenager, who disappeared in Portadown in April 1989, issued a fresh appeal for information.

Originally from Newry, Caroline had been living between a hostel and an address at Hanover Street in the Portadown area for around two years before her disappearance.

Caroline Graham
Caroline Graham Caroline Graham

Police launched a murder inquiry in August 2012, but her body has never been found.

The chief suspect, who is aged in his late fifties, has said while he knew the teenager in 1989, he does not know what what happened to her.

"I have been arrested five or six times and questioned, and the police accused me of murdering her... I did not," he told the BBC.

"I am telling you what I told them, I don't know what happened to her.

"I am sick of the police coming to my door about this. There is no evidence to connect me to anything.

"If she was murdered like they say she was, where is the body?"

Caroline had been on a night out in Banbridge with a girlfriend before she disappeared.

Caroline Graham disappeared in April 1989. Picture by PSNI/PA Wire
Caroline Graham disappeared in April 1989. Picture by PSNI/PA Wire Caroline Graham disappeared in April 1989. Picture by PSNI/PA Wire

It is believed she spent part of the night with her friend in a hostel in Portadown, but later went to a house in Hanover Street to collect some items.

Police believe she was murdered some time later.

In a fresh appeal for information about her daughter's disappearance, Caroline's mother Barbara said "someone, somewhere knows something".

"There has been no justice for her and no justice for me," she said.

"If anyone knows anything about her, what happened to Caroline, please come forward."

She said she believes her daughter's killer has lived a good life for the past 30 years while her own has been "horrible" and Caroline had "no life at all".

Ms Graham also said she feels her daughter has been forgotten.

"She's not alive and hasn't been all these years," she said.

"You just can't go out and murder someone and no-one knows nothing.

"Someone has done something to her. For what reason I don't know, but I would love to know."