Men in trafficking quiz over boy who vanished in 2007
DETECTIVES investigating the disappearance of a teenage boy 14 years ago have arrested two men for kidnap and human trafficking.
Andrew Gosden was 14 years old when he left his family home and took a train from Doncaster to London on September 14, 2007, with £200 cash, his wallet, his keys and a PlayStation console.
CCTV images of him at King’s Cross Station are the last confirmed sightings of the schoolboy, who then vanished. The apparent breakthrough in the cold case follows an appeal for information last September, suggesting police have evidence he could have been snatched by criminals.
Yesterday it was revealed that Metropolitan Police officers detained two London men on December 8.
A 45-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of kidnap, human trafficking and the possession of indecent images of children, and a 38-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of kidnap and human trafficking. Both have now been released under investigation while inquiries continue.
Yesterday Andrew’s father Kevin Gosden, who previously said he feared his son may have been kidnapped by a paedophile ring, said he was told about the arrests on the day they happened and kept it secret.
‘It’s one of the worst-case scenarios in my mind that he had been sex trafficked,’ he added. ‘But the thing about Andy’s disappearance is we have no clue really.’
He has been told the investigation could still take months to complete.
‘We’re not able to reach any conclusions,’ he said. ‘Our problem with this is I don’t know any more than what is included in the police statement. I really don’t know anything beyond the bare facts so we don’t really know what to think or feel about it all.’
Images of what Andrew – who would now be 28 – may look like have been released in recent years and there have also been dozens of unconfirmed sightings. Mr Gosden, 56, Andrew’s mother Glenys, 57, and sister Charlotte, 30, have described him as a quiet, gentle and extremely intelligent boy.
Last month Mr Gosden said the family, who have never moved from their Doncaster home, always light a candle for Andrew at Christmas.
Detective Inspector Andy Knowles, of South Yorkshire Police, said: ‘Our priority at this time is supporting Andrew’s family while we work through this new line of inquiry in the investigation.
‘They ask that their privacy is respected as our investigation continues.
‘I encourage anyone with any information they have not yet reported to come forward.’
‘We don’t know what to think’