Anguish of Claudia’s mother as police scale down hunt af ter 8 years
THE mother of missing chef Claudia Lawrence spoke of her devastation yesterday as police announced they were scaling down their eight-year inquiry.
After spending £1million on a review over the past three years, detectives said they would now only react to ‘compelling’ new evidence.
Miss Lawrence’s mother Joan, 72, said: ‘I’m absolutely stunned. Words can’t express enough how upset I am. As Claudia’s mum, I will never give up trying to find my daughter and attempting to discover what has happened.’
Miss Lawrence, from York, was last seen on March 18, 2009. The 35-year-old chatted to her parents on the phone that evening before vanishing. Detectives concluded she was probably murdered – but have failed to discover where she went or who was responsible.
Her parents and sister Ali were given a detailed briefing by North Yorkshire Police last week, but her mother criticised officers for not explaining that the
‘I can’t allow her to be forgotten’
investigation was effectively being wound up. She said: ‘This has hit me very hard, this isn’t what I was led to believe. I never heard them say in the meeting they were scaling down the case. Not knowing is incredibly hard and takes over my every waking thought.
‘I feel I somehow have to carry on searching... again I am appealing for anyone who knows anything about what has happened to Claudia to please, please come forward. Even if you don’t feel comfortable talking to the police, contact me – I will always listen. I need to know what has happened to Claudia.
‘I realise the recent police team have worked very hard to try and get answers, and I know they feel people are still lying to them, but I can’t allow Claudia’s name to be forgotten. I will do everything in my power to ensure people keep searching for my beloved and precious daughter.’
Police said the inquiry had moved to a ‘reactive phase’ from a ‘proactive phase’, and will start to scale down next month unless one outstanding line of inquiry relating to DNA profiling provides a breakthrough. A total of 627 staff have worked on the review since its launch in autumn 2013.
Police yesterday revealed one aspect of the case that had hampered their progress. They said Miss Lawrence, a chef at the University of York, ‘did not have a computer, did not access the internet via her phone and did not have a social media presence’. Martin Dales, spokesman for Miss Lawrence’s father Peter, said it was ‘disappointing and depressing’ that the inquiry was being scaled down. He said Mr Lawrence still believes there is a chance his daughter is alive.
Nine individuals have been arrested or interviewed under caution in connection with the case. Files on at least four were sent to prosecutors, who decided there was insufficient evidence to press charges.
Police have always believed the key to what happened to Miss Lawrence lay in her personal life. Assistant Chief Constable Paul Kennedy said: ‘It is not for the want of trying that a breakthrough hasn’t yet come, but rather the result of the continuing refusal of those who know what happened to come forward and tell us the truth.’
Detective Superintendent Dai Malyn added: ‘I acknowledge how sad Claudia’s parents and sister feel that we have been unable to give them the answers they want, and everyone in the team shares their frustration.’