Martine's father in plea to suspect on run

Petter Magnussen, whose daughter Martine was found strangled in a flat in Mayfair, pleaded with Farouk Abdulhak to give himself up to police hunting her killer.

Mr Magnussen is also trying to persuade Abdulhak's billionaire tycoon father to understand his family's hurt and make his son surrender.

Abdulhak was the last person to see 23-year-old Miss Magnussen alive but he fled the UK to his native Yemen two days after the discovery of her body at Abdulhak's rented flat in Great Portland Street.

The 21-year-old is officially wanted only as a witness but it is understood he became infatuated with Miss Magnussen while the pair were studying at Regent's Business School.

Mr Magnussen said: "Martine's loss has just turned my life upside down. I cannot begin to articulate the grief my family and I feel after losing her. To do so would kill me.

"But I feel an obligation to contribute towards getting justice for my daughter.

"The British police have repeatedly expressed their wish to speak to Farouk in Britain. If he has no information about Martine's death, there is no reason to make himself unavailable to them."

Mr Magnussen, speaking two weeks after burying his daughter, said he believes it is possible that Abdulhak's father Shaher Abdulhak could be using his money and his influence to prevent his son coming back to Britain.

"As a father, I understand the challenge facing Mr Abdulhak on a personal level. But I trust that he is able to put himself in my position and sympathise with what my family and I are going through," he said.

"As parents, we raise our children to make the right choices in life. In this case, coming forward to clarify the circumstances of Martine's death is clearly the right thing to do.

"I am convinced Mr Shaher Abdulhak has the authority to help ensure justice prevails. I hope he will use it so our family can continue with our lives in the best way possible."

Miss Magnussen was last seen at Maddox club in Mayfair, celebrating achieving the best results in her class, in the early hours of 14 March, and is believed to have left in a cab with Abdulhak.

Her semi-naked body was found two days later partly buried under rubble in the basement of the flat in Great Portland Street. Pathology tests confirmed she died of "compression to the neck".

Police also renewed appeals to trace Abdulhak. Anyone with any information should contact 020 8358 0300 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.