They may not find my Ben, but those cops are heroes
SUNDAY MIRROR
THE mum of missing Ben Needham hailed British police “heroes” as their search for him drew to a close.
Kerry Needham told the Sunday Mirror she agrees with their theory that her 21-month-old son was crushed by a digger on Kos 25 years ago and his body buried.
And she hit back at claims the South Yorkshire Police investigation on the Greek island was “flawed”.
Tearful Kerry, 43, said of police boss Det Insp Jon Cousins: “He will never give up in his hunt for the truth in the years he has remaining as a detective. We’ll never ever forget him and all the volunteers who have helped. One Greek man lost two days’ pay to help the police search.
“Don’t anyone dare criticise them. I never want to hear a bad word spoken about these detectives. They need medals for what they’ve had to do – not criticism.”
South Yorkshire Police are days away from ending their search on Kos, which began more than three weeks ago.
They have already finished collecting evidence at the farmhouse where Sheffield boy Ben was last seen on July 24, 1991.
They are still scouring a second site, where it is feared his body could have been buried.
Kerry and family were told to “prepare for the worst” after a witness claimed digger driver Konstantinos “Dino” Barkas, who died last year, might have killed Ben with his excavator in a building site crash.
The witness came forward after police put out an appeal on Greek TV, and pointed out the site where he thought Ben may have been buried. Since the search began at the end of September, further witnesses have backed up the police theory.
TRUTH
Kerry said of the UK police team: “They know enough to know what happened. A detective inspector on his hands and knees in full black uniform digging in the dirt just to find us the truth? What more can you ask for and what more can you say.” DI Cousins said: “I’ve reviewed, in great detail, every piece of evidence made available to me by the Greek authorities, who are very supportive of the work we’re doing in assisting their investigation. As a result of the work conducted over the last 18 months I have no doubt this phase of the operation is absolutely essential in order to get answers for Ben’s family.”