Missing singer hunt: Cops in plea to bridge walkers
THE parents of missing Frightened Rabbit frontman Scott Hutchison yesterday issued a tearful appeal for him to “come home”.
They spoke as police revealed that a mystery figure was caught on CCTV walking towards the Forth Road Bridge in the minutes after the 36-year-old singer left a nearby hotel.
Officers said they hadn’t found images of that person making it over to the Fife side of the bridge.
They appealed for two people also seen on camera near the bridge at about 1.10am to come forward as they may have seen Scott.
Chief Inspector Alan Carson said: “We think those two people crossed the bridge together from South Queensferry to Fife. They would’ve gone on to the bridge after this third person.”
Scott’s distraught brothers, Grant and Neil, and their dad Ron, 69, and mum Marion, 68, made their appeal at the Dakota hotel in South Queensferry. The singer, from Glasgow’s Dennistoun, checked in there on Monday night.
Marion begged her troubled son: “We love you so much, just come home.” Ron added: “Let us know you’re OK.”
Grant, who is the drummer in the BY ALAN McEWEN indie rock band, said: “The police have shown us CCTV of a figure walking in the direction of the bridge. But it’s not anywhere clear enough to say that it’s Scott.”
The 33-year-old described previous “time-outs”, when Scott, who has battled depression, went off by himself.
He said: “This is not dissimilar to previous time-outs but this time it feels far more serious.
“On Tuesday night, I got a phone call from the last person he spoke to. Hearing what Scott said was very distressing.
“He talked about how low he was. That he wasn’t happy and he didn’t want anyone to know where he was. He didn’t want anyone to contact him.”
Grant added: “He’s been to hotels around here in the past when he’s been in this state.”
Neil, 38, added: “With Scott, the depression comes and goes.
“Being alone and getting some space is something he’s used as a remedy – a therapy – in the past.”
Scott left the hotel on foot at about 1am on Wednesday after tweeting: “I’m away now. Thanks.”