A MAN has been arrested in connection with the brutal murder of a young Consett woman just days before the fifth anniversary of her death.

Julie Smailes, a 27-year-old computer sales manager, was tied up, strangled and stabbed more than 50 times.

A 30-year-old man from Leadgate, near Consett, is being held for questioning by Durham Police.

A team of four detectives made the arrest at about 8am on Wednesday. He was being interviewed at Durham City police headquarters.

In the early hours of October 30, 1996, Julie's body was discovered by firefighters in one of the two bedrooms of her smoke-logged house in Wingrove Terrace, Leadgate.

She had been strangled, repeatedly stabbed and a number of fires had been lit inside the end-of-terrace house which investigators believe had been started in an attempt to cover up the crime.

In the spring of last year senior detectives said there was mounting evidence to suggest a number of people may have been directly involved in Julie's death. Previously the police revealed that up to four people were suspected.

One major suspect was John Thompson who hanged himself in August 1998. Mr Thompson was the main suspect in the murder of 18-year-old Rachel Tough, of Consett, who was found dead in the kitchen of his house in the Moorside area of the town. He took his life in neighbouring woods a few days later.

At the inquest North Durham coroner Andrew Tweddle said he had no doubt Mr Thompson was directly involved in the killing of Miss Tough.

Mr Thompson was one of more than 7,000 people interviewed by police in connection with the Julie Smailes murder. His widow, Michelle, has always denied her husband had any part in the killing.

Police have said they were 'agonisingly close' to making major progress with the case on several occasions. It was revealed in May last year that forensic and DNA tests had produced a significant breakthrough.

A reward of £10,000 for information leading to the arrest of Julie's killers was put up by her employers, Sun Micro Systems, of Greencroft, near Stanley, in 1996. Since then police, who delivered letters appealing for information to more than 1,500 homes in the Leadgate area, have checked more than 3,000 vehicles and taken more than 1,100 statements. Detectives are still working on the case.

Since the murder Julie Smailes mother, Joy Gilmour, 53, has left Consett for Ireland, saying she could no longer cope with the stress of living so close to where her daughter died.

On Wednesday Julie's sister Wendy, 35, said the family was pleased that police were still making progress on the case.

At the time The Advertiser went to press the arrested man was still being questioned by Durham police, who did not release his name