FAMILIES MISSING A LOVED ONE THIS XMAS

2023-12-24 - ABBIE WIGHTWICK Education Editor abbie.wightwick@walesonline.co.uk

CHRISTMAS is a time when many of us look forward to spending time with our families. For some though, there will be the heartbreak of an empty space after the disappearance of a loved one.

Every year, 180,000 people are reported missing across the UK.

While most are found and reunited with their families, that is not always the case, and some have been missing for decades.

Missing People is the only charity in the UK dedicated to bringing missing adults and children back together with their families.

The Missing People charity’s website lists people from all over the UK who have vanished and not been found.

Missing People also supports people affected with a helpline - call or text 116 000.

Here are the faces of some of those missing in Wales as the festive season gets underway, as of December 20.

People reported missing in 2023 and not yet found

Tomas Miker:

The 15-year-old, from the Abertillery area, was last seen at about 5.30pm on Monday, December 4, in Cwmbran, and officers are concerned for his welfare, said Gwent Police. He is described as mixed race, 5’ 10” tall, slim build, with brown eyes and medium length curly brown hair.

He was last seen wearing a black tracksuit with black trainers. He has links to the Ely and Splott areas of Cardiff.

Anyone with any information is asked to call police on 101 or send a direct message on social media, quoting log reference 2300412431

Police are also urging Tomas to get in touch with them himself.

Shane Barnett:

Shane was last seen at about 12.30pm on May 7 this year on Allensbank Road in Cardiff, close to the University Hospital of Wales. The 48-year-old is described as 6ft 2ins tall, of slim build with short, light grey hair.

He was last seen wearing a grey North Face T-shirt, a black jacket, green cargo trousers, black trainers, and a black rucksack. He is known to live a transient lifestyle and could possibly be living in a tent.

He has links to Swansea and has also previously lived in the Roath area of Cardiff.

Anyone who may have seen Shane, or who has information which will help police find him, is asked to contact 101 quoting occurrence number 2300147308.

James Beer:

James, 29, was last seen on May 17 this year when his mother visited him at his home in Loughor, Swansea. CCTV captured James in Loughor’s Spar shop that morning.

That day, his mum Jan left her dog Meg with him while she visited James’ older sister Hannah in Cardiff. Jan returned in the evening to pick the dog up and at 8.30pm had a quick conversation with her son, who was not acting out of the ordinary.

That is the last time James is known to have been seen. Exhaustive helicopter and drone searches have been unsuccessful.

James is 5ft 8ins tall with a slim build, light brown hair and a forearm tattoo of an MC Escher birds design. He is likely to now have a beard.

The family believe that when he disappeared, he may have taken a train from Gowerton or Bynea to mid Wales, where he often liked to camp alone.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact police on 101 quoting 2300163003.

Martin Clatworthy:

Martin, 57, has been missing from Blaencwm, Rhondda Cynon Taf, since March 7.

He is 5ft 7” tall and was wearing black jeans and a black fleece when last seen at Blaenrhondda, Rhondda.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact South Wales Police quoting 2300075324.

Ricky Harris:

Ricky, 31, from Aberdare, was last seen on CCTV at about 2.20pm on Saturday, November 18.

He was seen in Maes-Y-Deri, Aberdare, wearing grey and black clothing.

Ricky has links to Aberdare, Pontypridd and Tredegar and is known to walk a route known locally as the Dram Road. His desperate family have said they are “worried sick” and have described Ricky as one of the nicest people you could meet.

A family member said it is “heartbreaking for everyone not knowing where he is”.

Anyone who may have seen Ricky, or who has information which will help officer locate him, is asked to contact South Wales Police on 101 quoting occurrence number 2300394323.

Ongoing missing persons cases James Nutley:

The golfing enthusiast disappeared without a trace on October 24, 2004, while on a break in Tenby with friends. The 25-yearold was last seen crossing a road at about midnight. In 2017, his family made a fresh appeal for information to mark 13 years since his disappearance.

Roger

Roger was 78 when he went missing. He was last seen on May 18, 2022, in Glynneath. If you have any information on his whereabouts you can contact South Wales Police on 101 quoting reference 2200166072.

Tapiwa Simons: Matuwi:

The IT graduate, known as Tapi, went missing from Swansea. The 21-year-old was last seen on February 7, 2019, after a night out in the city centre. His family have made numerous appeals for him to come home.

Footage released by South Wales Police shortly after Tapi’s disappearance showed him entering McDonald’s in Oxford Street before he was captured outside the restaurant heading towards Caer Street, New Cut Road, and Quay Parade.

The last known sighting of Tapi came at 7.06am at Swansea Yacht Club around two and a half hours after he was last active on his WhatsApp account.

If you have any information about where Tapi may be, you can contact South Wales Police on 101 quoting reference number 1900051830.

Christine Bracken: Jacinta

Christine went missing during a shopping trip to Swansea city centre on May 19, 1979. Her handbag was found on the town beach the following day and inside was a birthday present she had just bought for her mother.

A major missing person investigation was launched but what happened to the woman that day remains a mystery more than four decades later.

Christina was 38 and originally from the village of Ballacolla in Ireland. She was a nun at Swansea’s Stella Maris Convent and described by someone who knew her as “a dear little creature, a lovely soul. Dreadfully shy to the point of being timid”.

Anyone with information can contact South Wales Police on 101 quoting reference 62080064769.

Glyn was last seen on the evening of Sunday, June 20, 2021. He was 60 at the time.

Earlier that day, between noon and 12.45pm, CCTV footage showed him outside Asda in Caerphilly. On Saturday, June 26, Gwent Police issued an appeal to help locate Mr Griffiths’ car – a black Suzuki Grand Vitara. It was later found on July 28 at Heol y Dderwen, Nantgarw, locked and with Glyn nowhere in sight.

Despite extensive searching by his family, Gwent Police, and the Central Beacons Mountain Rescue Team Glyn’s whereabouts are still unknown.

His cousin, Kathleen Robinson, said Glyn had been a carer for his mum who had dementia since 2016. She said he “idolised” his mum and it was out of character for Glyn to stop visiting her.

Gwent Police described Glyn as 5ft 9ins tall and of a slim build with grey hair.

Anyone with information can contact the force quoting 2100221975.

Lorraine

The lives of Lorraine’s family changed forever on January 31, 2016, when she left her home in Gabalfa, Cardiff, and was never seen or heard from again.

The 57-year-old gran had gone to visit a friend in a nearby street but Lorraine never made her destination and her fate has remained unknown to her family.

Despite extensive searches in the area which involved South Wales Police, National Crime Agency, British Transport Police, National Police Air Service, and horse and dog units, nothing has been found.

Anybody with information who has yet to come forward is asked to contact South Wales Police via 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 quoting reference 036372.

David Davies:

David, from Wrexham, was last seen on April 6, 2013, which was a week after he was banned from keeping horses for five years after admitting causing unnecessary suffering. Mr Davies, then 69, was the subject of a Channel Four documentary for keeping horses and was reported missing after failing to turn up for an appointment and has not been seen since.