New search 4 years after man vanished
Police raid home near club where he was last seen
DETECTIVES hunting for a man who vanished almost four years ago yesterday began searching a house in a dramatic development in the case.
Allan Bryant was last seen leaving Styx nightclub in Glenrothes, Fife, on November, 3, 2013.
One of the largest missing person inquiries ever carried out by Police Scotland was launched but no trace of the 23-year-old has ever been found.
It was confirmed yesterday that officers are now searching a property in Barnton Place, a mile from where Mr Bryant disappeared.
Speaking from his home in Glenrothes, his father, Allan Snr, said the move had come as a surprise.
The 51-year-old added: ‘The police just phoned and told me that they were entering a property.
‘They couldn’t really tell me anything other than that they had a warrant and were executing it, and would be searching all through the weekend.
‘We’re in shock here. It just came completely out of the blue. I’m just happy to know that the police are still working on it and acting on any information that they get. We just want closure, that’s all we want.’
Mr Bryant had previously hit out at police, saying his son had been treated ‘no better than a missing dog’.
But he said last night: ‘This gives us a confidence boost and it’s reassuring to the family that police are still trying to find out what happened to him.’
Writing on Facebook he added: ‘We just hope something positive comes out of the search – this has been the biggest thing since Allan went missing.
‘It’s going to be a really hard weekend for my family. Hopefully we’ll get answers this time.’
In March last year, Mr Bryant hired a team of private detectives to help solve the mystery. He claimed at the time that his son had been targeted by an organised crime gang.
Detectives from the Association of British Investigators met the family in an attempt to gather information but no trace of the missing man was ever found.
A renewed police appeal for information in November last year also failed to throw up any new lines of inquiry, with officers saying at the time that they had ‘no idea’ what had happened to him.
Detective Inspector Stuart Wilson, of Police Scotland’s major investigation team, said: ‘Officers executed a search warrant at an address in Glenrothes on Friday, June 16, in connection with the ongoing investigation into missing man Allan Bryant.
‘We remain committed to getting answers for the Bryant family and any information we receive from the community will be assessed and further action taken wherever appropriate.’
The case has previously sparked controversy.
In 2014, Facebook troll Stewart McInroy was jailed for ten months after he sent abusive messages to the Bryant family claiming that he had ‘tortured and murdered’ the missing man.