Driver is charged with Celine Figard murder
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• Stuart Morgan, the man charged with the murder of French student Celine Figard, was a "very, very good driver indeed", according to the haulier which used him.
The 36-year-old Poole man, who appeared last week before Redditch magistrates, was never late for work in the two years that Liverpool-based Duel Carriage employed him as an owner-driver.
"He was one of those guys who you could call out, however late, and he wouldn't complain. He seemed to be always interested in earning some money," says Duel Carriage director Paul Nelson.
Morgan was due to reappear yesterday (Wednesday) in front of Redditch magistrates after last week's application for bail was refused by the court.
The 19-year-old French accountancy student was seen climbing into the cab of a white Mercedes on 19 December at Chievely service station in Berkshire. Figard's body was found 10 days later on the A449 Worcester to Kidderminster road. She had been raped, strangled and beaten around the head.
Dual Carriage, which employs up to 300 owner-drivers, says it is surprised at the charge brought against Morgan. But we're co-operating with the police and have shown them all our records," says Nelson.
Morgan, who passed "strict audit procedures" before he was taken on by the company, was first attached to Duel Carriage's Manchester depot before being transferred to its Southampton docks premises.
The £12 million turnover company has nine UK depots_