POLICE TRY TO STOP DISPLAY OF PORTRAIT OF DEAD ADDICT

Police chiefs yesterday called on a controversial art gallery to
cancel plans to hang a disturbing portrait of Rachel Whitear, the
heroin addict whose death is being reinvestigated.

The painting by Stella Vine, which shows the 21-year-old with blood
pouring from her mouth, is due to be displayed at the Saatchi Gallery
from next Wednesday, 24 hours after Rachel's body is exhumed.

But Detective Chief Superintendent Paul Howlett, the senior
investigating officer, said: "I'm attempting to enter into
negotiations with the gallery regarding this particular piece. I hope
that we can broker some agreement regarding the unfortunate timing."

Rachel's parents, Mick and Pauline Holcroft, who allowed photographs
of her body to be used in an anti-drugs campaign, were said to be
devastated by news of the painting.

Titled Rachel, it was taken from a school photograph Vine found on the
internet. The artist said: "Rachel's family will believe that I
gratuitously exploited her image. I'm sad if that's how they feel ...
It comes from love and from passion and I'm not going to stop making
art."

The painting, purchased by Charles Saatchi, is to form part of the
exhibition New Blood. Rachel's body is to be exhumed from a
Herefordshire graveyard next Tuesday. The Bath University student was
found dead in her flat in Exmouth, Devon, four years ago.