THE family of murder victim Hayley Richards have voiced their support for a police family liaison officer arrested on suspicion of criminal misconduct.

Pc Tim Swinburn, who has been stationed in Trowbridge and Chippenham, was arrested last week on matters unrelated to his work on the inquiry into the murder of 23-year-old Miss Richards in June 2005.

Her brother Paul Richards said: "All this has gone in the papers and it has caused our family a lot of pain. It has brought it all back. Tim Swinburn was there for our family 24/7. Personally I think he saved my life because without him I might have taken an overdose."

Miss Richards, 24, was killed by her former boyfriend Hugo Quintas at her home in Carders Corner, Trowbridge.

Pc Swinburn was also a family liaison officer for the Brixey family, from Standerwick, near Frome, after 20-year-old Ashley Brixey was killed in 2004.

Mr Brixey was in the back seat of a car being driven by a friend when it careered off the A36 in Limpley Stoke. The car flipped onto its roof and landed upside down in a swimming pool in a private garden, where Mr Brixey drowned.

This week his mother, Clare said: "Pc Tim Swinburn happened to be the liaison officer that came to our house in the early hours to inform us that our so very precious son Ashley was dead.

"Pc Swinburn not only carried out his duties compassionately with extreme understanding and tremendous support to myself and my family, but without his strength I don't know how I would have got through that awfully emotional painful time.

"A man is supposed to be innocent until proven guilty."

Pc Swinburn was suspended from Wiltshire Police in January. The suspension was in connection with matters including his involvement in the unlawful search of 16-year-old black teenager, Anthony Brown, in Chippenham in 2004.

A police spokesman last week confirmed a 42-year-old police officer had been arrested and taken to Gable Cross Police Station in Swindon, where he was quizzed in relation to allegations of criminal misconduct. He was released on police bail.