THE technology that enabled police to narrow the search for Sally Geeson’s body also enabled them to track the movements of David Atkinson, her suspected killer.

David Bristowe, a communications expert who helped to convict the Soham murderer Ian Huntley, helped in the hunt for the forensic science student on Wednesday.

He tried to trace where the signal from Ms Geeson’s mobile telephone came from when it “powered down” at 9.44am on New Year’s Day.

She had gone missing at about 1.30am and sent three text messages telling friends that she had got into someone’s car and then pleading for help.

Normally it would be quite easy for Mr Bristowe to find which cell site had taken these messages, enabling him to pinpoint the area from where she sent them. But because new year is the busiest time for mobile telephone traffic a signal can be diverted to the first mast that is free, possibly hundreds of miles away.

Mr Bristowe followed the “powered down” signal from mast to mast and reduced the possibilities to two areas — Milton, north of Cambridge, and Madingley, where Ms Geeson’s body was found.

Mr Atkinson’s telephone signal was traced to the same area. Officers believe that he was trying to cover his tracks and erase any evidence he may have left, including maybe taking her clothes away.

In 2002 Mr Bristowe proved that a mobile telephone belonging to Jessica Chapman, who was murdered by Huntley with her friend Holly Wells, had been at Huntley’s home in Soham, Cambridgeshire, when the girls disappeared.

Explore UK News

• Crime News

• Education News

• Health News

• Science News

• Scotland News

Times Recommends

• Catalogue of failings ‘leaves others at risk’
• Tourists told to stay away amid Venice floods
• Google generation has no need for rote learning