HAVE YOU SEEN SAMMY?
City cops quiz shoppers in hunt for missing man
THE family of missing Samuel Townsley have visited the place he was last seen. They appealed to anyone who might have information about the whereabouts of the 28-year-old to come forward. Samuel was last seen on Union Street.
THE family of a man who has been missing for six months have made an emotional return to the place he was last seen.
Samuel Townsley was last seen on Union Street, Glasgow, on October 19, last year, and has not been in touch with his family since.
Officers handed out leaflets and spoke to members of the public yesterday as part of their investigation into his disappearance.
Samuel’s sister Ann Margaret Allan, 32, also led a plea for information. She described her brother as a “lovely wee guy” who had recently been suffering from low moods.
The 28-year-old was known to be living a chaotic lifestyle and had spent time on the street.
On the day of his disappearance, he entered Rebel Rebel barbers on Union Street to use the toilet.
Police officers stopped to speak to him shortly after due to the fact he was wearing shorts and T-shirt in cold weather.
Chief Inspector Brian Shaw, who is leading the investigation, said: “While we’ve had a number of unconfirmed sightings of Samuel, this remains the last place I can say with 100 per cent confidence that he was here.
“We are seeking the public’s assistance to provide any information which they believe might be relevant to track him down.”
Samuel, who is part of Scotland’s large traveller community, has travelled extensively throughout the West of Scotland in recent years but frequents Grangemouth, Falkirk, Clydebank and Glasgow city centre.
He has no fixed address but is known to have lived in Clydebank as recently as last summer and does not possess a mobile phone.
Ann Margaret Allan spoke to Samuel a few days before he was last seen.
She said: “He was very up and down – one minute he was happy and laughing and the next he sounded really sad.
“I was worried about him because instinctively as his sister I knew that things weren’t well in his state of mind. In recent years he has suffered from bouts of depression, I would say.
“There wasn’t any great alarm bells going off but I wanted to make sure he was okay so asked him to phone me the next day so we could arrange to meet up in Glasgow, but sadly he never called back.
“Samuel is someone who stands out. He smiles at everyone he walks by and is just a lovely guy.
“He has some marks on his forehead due to an incident where he broke his neck. He has a short, stocky build and confident swagger. If you saw him, you would remember.
“I’m hoping that this is him not getting in touch for longer than usual but your mind wonders if something has happened to him. I hope with all my heart that this isn’t the case.
“He has no idea how much he is missed. Whatever reason he thinks he can’t come home is not good enough.”
Due to the fact Samuel, originally from Irvine, is not in regular contact with his family, he was not reported missing until January, over four weeks since he spoke to Ann Margaret.
Officers investigating his disappearance have said that they have no reason to believe that he has come to any harm.
Anyone with information can contact Irvine Police Station on 101.