There were other sightings from as far as South Wales. Travel on buses was free for children at the time, so he could have used that method of transportation easily. Despite numerous national appeals for information in the years following his disappearance, Gosden's reason for travelling to London that day, and his subsequent fate, have not been established. We have made numerous appeals over the years to find out where Andrew is and what happened to him when he disappeared. In 2018, someone sent info in about a conversation they had with a person named Andy Roo. . [28] Gosden's sister has stated that he did not seem interested in social media or connecting with other people through the Internet as he "just didn't seem social". Newer Post Older Post Home. Which might have been more likely if he left later in the day, regardless of the time arranged to meet with someone in London. Last known image of Andrew Gosden, taken at 11:25 AM on 14 September 2007 . He gave details of a possible sighting of Andrew Gosden in Shrewsbury in November 2008. Teenage boys eat a lot. He was a deep character who did not get worked up. Didn't they say the pizza(ham and pineapple)that Andrew ordered was what he normally got or was his fav?? The Carling Academy is within walking distance from Kings Cross station. Andrew Gosden was last seen on CCTV at King's Cross train station in London Two men arrested after a Doncaster boy vanished in London 15 years earlier remain under investigation, police say. Andrew Gosden was 14 when he went missing in 2007. Labels: criminal justice. Fort Valley State University student Missing Where is Anitra Gunn? [25](53 min 30 s), In June 2018, the Gosden family said that someone had reported an online conversation with a person with the user name 'Andy Roo' who claimed that their boyfriend had left them and they needed 200 to cover rent. [41], The family and the police investigated the possibility that Gosden had gone to London to meet someone whom he had met over the Internet. Someone then wrote anonymously to the BBC and said that he had seen Andrew in Shrewsbury in November 2008. Initial searches in London focused on the Chislehurst and Sidcup areas, where the Gosden family have relatives. Press J to jump to the feed. [57], Kevin Gosden said: "We are a pretty open family so have wondered if he was gay or struggling with his sexual identity and found it too awkward to raise. I cant remember where I read this but I recall the Pizza Hut witness remembered Andrews way of speaking and/or some wording he had used. these sightings included one outside a Pizza Hut and one at Covent Garden, where both reported*Andrew*had spoken to them. Obviously this is all assuming the sighting was Andrew, which it might not be but I'm interested to know what you guys think. Police arrested two men, aged 38 and 45 in regards to Andrews case. Andrews father has said that he didnt think it was weird that Andrew only purchased a one-way ticket as he apparently knew many people in London that he could have stayed with. They are believed to be the first arrests made in connection to the disappearance. However, by the time someone had come to take his information, hed gone. [39] The ticket seller at Doncaster station remembered Gosden because he had refused a return ticket, despite it only costing a small amount more than a single. [50] On 19 September, it was reported that he appeared to have obtained warmer clothes. However, the Pizza Hut and Covent Garden sightings were not followed up, Mr Gosden said, adding that the woman who . In 2016, Gosden's parents appealed for information on the BBC's flagship current affairs television programme Panorama. This means the older man would have been around 31 and the younger 24 at the time Andrew disappeared. Everyone presumed Andrew was playing on his console in the converted cellar just as he usually did after school. . Kevin says he is shocked that more CCTV footage of Andrew in one of the worlds most surveilled cities doesnt exist. In 2017, Andrew was the face of the charity Missing People for their Find Every Child. But I think we should be more thankful of the sighting instead of trying to pick it apart. Andrews last credible sighting was in Pizza Hut at around 12:00 but the witness said that he was alone at the time so he probably would not have met up with anyone straight away. Secondly, if I put myself in the shoes of a potential groomer, I think I would want to meet Andrew soon after he arrived. They also conducted regular checks to make sure a new passport had not been issued for Andrew. According to the charity Missing People, someone is reported as missing every 90 seconds. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. If he really wanted a Pizza Hut pizza, he would have walked past 3 or 4 before getting to the Oxford Circus one. The sighting at Pizza Hut sounds plausible as you would want to grab something to eat and relax at lunch time. [6][11] However, Gosden's family say that he did not socialise with his friends outside of school. This was his usual routine and wouldnt have been out of the ordinary. [8] However, the CCTV footage from buses and the adjacent tube station was not requested by the authorities. The SikTh gig was originally scheduled for 4:00pm on 7 July and was to be the last show with the original vocalist, making it a unique event. [6] When his parents offered to replace the lost mobile phones he stated that he would prefer a new Xbox instead. A subreddit dedicated to discussion of missing British teenager Andrew Paul Gosden, who bought a one-way ticket to London in September 2007, and was spotted on CCTV at King's Cross railway station and then never seen again. [25](9 min 50 s), Speaking in 2009, Kevin Gosden speculated on the reason for Andrew's disappearance: "Did he decide to do the Reginald Perrin thing,[a] and reinvent himself? Furthermore, according to Kevin Gosden, police did not follow up on potential sightings of Andrew, one placing the teenager at a Pizza Hut and one at Covent Garden. Andrew Gosden was 14 when he disappeared from outside King's Cross Station back in 2007 and he has never been heard from or seen since. His bedroom has been repainted and his T-shirts are still in the drawers and part of his rock and gem collection sits on a shelf. That concert was meant to start at 4pm, giving plenty of time to get home from Kings Cross Station. Andrew Paul Gosden was born on 10 July 1993. [13] He was given a new phone for his twelfth birthday, but also rarely used this and did not want to replace it when he lost it months before his disappearance. The 45 year old was also arrested on a charge of posession of child pornography. See you later, have a good day never saw him again., He just seemed completely his usual self. Were there no CCTV footage or receipts/transactions from Pizza Hut? His family have said that Andrew was a home bird who never left the house without telling them where he was going. Could of taken him around Soho or anywhere. The last day Kevin Gosden would ever see his son. A woman sat next to him and she told police that he was quiet and was engrossed in his PSP. Or Soho Astoria where Less than Jake where playing. I truly believe he was at one of those concerts and would of needed extra clothes. [20] He was a 'deep character' who did not get worked up or moody. The woman who reported the Covent Garden sighting was not interviewed for over 6 weeks. I even got in touch with a You Tuber to get in touch with Kevin and do an interview, which he did. This lead was investigated by the family with help from HIM, but it did not produce any meaningful leads. Go over everything again. Police are convinced that the man at the bank's gate was the exact one that followed Deely home. . They used sonar and found another body, but no trace of Andrew was found. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Can a 14 year old afford that wouldn't they go to McDonald's or KFC, it's cheaper especially in London. Someone might've been instructing him while staying out of camera range. I believe they had an intercom system there as the station was unmanned at the time. [12] Gosden tended to say little about his school life to his parents. As the meal ordered would of fit with Andrews tastes and the attitude of the boy also fit. At 8.30am, Andrew can be seen leaving his home again. This is the last confirmed sighting of him. They also checked National Insurance for any activity. I dont think Ive ever read a time for the sighting, though. Ive copied and pasted below what I wrote about this recently on another thread: If I was traveling across the country to meet someone, I would expect to go and meet them quite soon after getting off the train as that would be the purpose of my trip, I wouldnt be getting a train for a few hours to go and have lunch on my own, passing the time then meet them later. [14], SYP asked the BTP to search the available CCTV footage within two days of Gosden being reported missing. He was likely just eating by himself, possibly killing time until meeting someone at a predetermined place and time. By the time that Andrew had been missing for one year, 122 possible sightings had been recorded. [29] Instead of taking the school bus, Gosden diverted from his usual route and walked to a cash machine at a local garage. Over the years, there have been dozens of unconfirmed sightings of Andrew from across the UK. at 10:15 AM. As I recall, the "sighting" had him sitting on his own. [72], In January 2023, South Yorkshire Police said that the men remained under investigation, and that the subsequent devices were also still under examination.[73]. . On the morning of September 14 back in 2007 14-year-old Andrew Gosden didn't go to school, instead he boarded a train to London, and was never seen again.. Andrew then withdrew 200 of the214 in his bank account and bought his London ticket. He had been there many times with family members and he enjoyed going to museums and exhibitions. They had not baptised their children though as they didnt want to impose their views on them. 98% Upvoted. [2] He was last seen on CCTV leaving King's Cross station. By the time anyone knew Andrew had actually got to London and, hadn't alighted the train at any of the stops in-between. There were unconfirmed sightings of Andrew on the day he went missing at a Pizza Hut on Oxford Street and later in . Don't think that could be traced at that time. [1][58] No trace of Gosden was found during the search, though it did find another body.[59]. His parents are said to be committed Anglican Christians. The family learned that at 8.05am on September 14, Andrew left home dressed in his school uniform and was seen walking across the local park to his bus stop. This was the last known sighting of Deely. He then walked to Doncaster railway station and purchased a one-way ticket to London which cost 31.40. They did this after they spoke to the ticket seller. He was a highly intelligent boy and took part in the Governments Young, Gifted & Talented Programme for high-achieving students. has also claimed that the reported sightings of Andrew at a Pizza Hut and at Covent Garden were not followed up, and that the police did not speak to the woman who reported the Covent Garden sighting for . ", By sound of it, not much was followed up. In mid-September 2007, 14 year-old gifted and talented student Andrew Gosden skipped school and bought a one-way ticket to King's Cross railway station, a 170+ mile trip south from his home in South Yorkshire. On September 14, 2007 which was a Friday, the family were about to sit down for dinner. It was quickly established that he had not taken his passport with him. . I think if it was him, and his family believes it was, that he was just hungry and saw his favorite food. He gave details of a possible sighting of Andrew Gosden in Shrewsbury in November 2008. This person denied being Andrew. How is this helpful? Andrew Gosden was your typical gifted kid. Then met someone later. [25](3 min 30 s), At home, Gosden placed his uniform in the washing machine and his blazer on the back of his chair. A police spokesperson said We can confirm we have seized numerous devices from the men which we expect to take between six and 12 months to analyse. I love going to restaurants by myself. It just seems odd to me if he did arrange in advance to meet someone that he would eat lunch in a restaurant on his own. Despite the possibility he was seen at Covent Garden and Pizza Hut on 523 Oxford Street. Hed said he just felt like it. However, the school dialled the number of the parents either above or below Gosden in the register and the message was left on the wrong person's phone. I would encourage anyone with any information they have not yet reported to come forward.. But the Pizza Hut and Covent Garden sightings were not followed up, Kevin claims, adding that the woman who reported the latter was not spoken to for six weeks. I'm mystified as to why he'd go to that Pizza Hut. The South Yorkshire force said it asked British Transport Police (BTP) to search the CCTV footage within two days of Andrew going missing, but BTP could not pick him out from the crowds. Are you British? Or Hospital Scapegoat? When someone offered to send them money, the user claimed they did not have a bank account as they had "left home when they were 14". But Kevin says he can empathise if Andrew is alive and finds it hard to reach out. It resulted in the discovery of a body, though it wasnt Andrews. Andrew Gosden: Disappearance of London Teen. Celebrity. [61] A statement on the South Yorkshire Police Facebook page said police were, or had been, investigating requests for similar optical prescriptions to Gosden's, requesting documents from the Passport Office or National Insurance and circulating Gosden's DNA, fingerprints, and dental and health records. I fear there will be no final end to this case. Detective Inspector Andy Knowles said: Our priority at this time is supporting Andrews family while we work through this new line of enquiry in the investigation. 2021 Associated Newspapers Limited. At the end of January 2022, police released another update. Credit: SWNS . It has been 10 months now, and no word. The man spoke to an officer via the intercom and said he had information about Andrew. "[38], Charlotte and Gosden's father, Kevin, scouted Gosden's route to school and areas nearby, but found nothing. [29], One event identified by Kevin Gosden as a possible reason for his son to have travelled to London was the 2007 YouTube Gathering. The pair were detained on 8 December 2021 on suspicion of kidnap and human trafficking following Andrew Gosden's 2007 disappearance. There was a sighting of a boy who looked like Andrew in Pizza Hut on Oxford Street later that day, and another later on in Covent garden which his parents believe are credible. I mean we all feel hunger so it's safe to say he at least went there because he was hungry. Strangely, hed left 100 of birthday money in his bedroom. Along these lines, Andrews father said that he initially suspected Andrew may have gone to London to do something and that he would seek forgiveness later rather than ask permission.. We all equally well understand how difficult it could seem or feel to actually kind of make that contact. Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom) Followers. Until that ticket seller came forward, no one had any clue he had left Doncaster, let alone gone to London. Did Andrew have a strange way in how he talked or acted. the family say the most plausible place him at Pizza Hut on Oxford Street on September . Andrew was studying at McAuley Catholic High School at the time. It is often presumed to be midday. [9][10] Gosden was described as a prize-winning mathematician who seemed destined for Cambridge. His father has said that the night before Andrew left was uneventful. The Real Housewives of Atlanta The Bachelor Sister Wives 90 Day Fiance Wife Swap The Amazing Race Australia Married at First Sight The Real Housewives of Dallas My 600-lb Life Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. On another interview, Kevin mentioned that Andrew made chit chat with a stranger, a lady in Covent Garden. He was also very confident in using public transport in the city. He lived with his parents Kevin and Glenys, and his sister Charlotte in Balby, which is a suburb of Doncater, South Yorkshire in England. In 2007 businesses had CCTV. The family believes the most plausible place him at Pizza Hut on Oxford Street on the day he went missing and later in Covent Garden. [25](43 min 30 s), A year after Gosden's disappearance, the head teacher at McAuley Catholic High School, Mary Lawrence, travelled to London with staff and pupils and distributed 15,000leaflets. Kevin mentions this in the Thin Air podcast around the 22 minute mark. He was alone. So by the time the police in Doncaster knew Andrew had gone missing and been able to identify that he had got off at Kings Cross- note British Transport Police messed up failing to identify Andrew in the crowds. Big cases like childrenMadeline McCannand Ben Needham, or the missing Yorkshire chefClaudia Lawrence, have gainedmass media and public attention over the years. [7] Gosden's family described him as a "home bird" who rarely left the house and never without saying where he was going. [34] Gosden's father later stated that the purchase of a single ticket rather than a return did not seem strange to him, as Gosden knew numerous people in London with whom he could have stayed. This was never followed up on. [25](46 min 10 s), The venue is within walking distance from King's Cross. Alan Murray who was sitting on a bench in the park. As I recall, the "sighting" had him sitting on his own. Interview with Kevin Gosden", "3.6 million for gifted and talented learning | Department for Education", "Dad fears son, 14, was snatched by paedophile gang now all he has is memories", "Missing Andrew Gosden's father: Our last chance of finding runaway son is at Muse gig Exclusive", "London, United Kingdom Weather History | Weather Underground", "Car offer to help find missing teen with links to Sidcup and Chislehurst", "3Parents share the devastating reality of a decade spent searching for a missing child", "Doncaster dad's hope to find missing son nine years on from his disappearance", "London sightings bring hope to missing boy's family", "Appeal to goths to help find missing teenager", "Man with missing boy information finds police station shut", "Family appeals to gay community to find missing son", "River scan machine used in Andrew Gosden search", "It was nine years ago today when Doncaster teen Andrew Gosden disappeared", "Police launch fresh appeal to find missing Doncaster teen Andrew Gosden", "South Yorkshire Police Appeal Statement", "Possible 'sighting' of missing Doncaster teen Andrew Gosden, ten years after disappearance", "Police issue new appeal for information on birthday of missing Doncaster teen", "New 'aged' image of boy missing for 12years", "Andrew Gosden: Two men arrested for trafficking and kidnap", "Two men arrested in connection with Andrew Gosden disappearance 14 years ago", "Andrew Gosden: Devices seized from suspects in missing boy case", "Police issue Andrew Gosden investigation update on arrested men", "Andrew Godsen 's family speak out after two men are arrested over teen's disappearance in 2007", ICMEC Global Missing Children listing for Andrew Gosden, BBC report on Andrew Gosden missing ten years, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Disappearance_of_Andrew_Gosden&oldid=1140249194, Two years after his disappearance, in 2009, Gosden's case was examined in an episode of the, This page was last edited on 19 February 2023, at 05:18. [25](9 min 50 s) When the family discovered that he was not in the house, they initially thought he could be with a friend or a neighbour and had simply lost track of time. The schoolboy was seen on CCTV that morning at Kings Cross station, and possibly spotted in two other places in the capital, but thenin the words of his father Kevin, he apparently just disappeared off the face of the Earth. They looked for him until it got dark. [44] A woman reported a potential sighting Gosden on 17 October (a month after he disappeared) in Covent Garden: she spoke to a boy and stated that he looked like a boy she had seen on TV that was missing, but the boy denied that he was Gosden. If he really wanted a Pizza Hut pizza, he would have walked past 3 or 4 before getting to the Oxford Circus one. [6], Gosden was a gifted student with a 100% attendance record at The McAuley Catholic High School. I know he had a bit of money on him but I'm sure he would still go for the cheaper food option. He says from the description of how he behaved and spoke etc he feels that it was Andrew but the police never followed it up until 6 weeks later. He did not seem to take the charger for the PSP, and he didnt take a coat or sweater either. [16] Gosden's parents recalled that he returned from the summer school enthused about what he had been doing there. Back in Doncaster,it was the family who found CCTV of Andrew walking to the train station on the morning he went missing from a neighbours house, according to Kevin. I agree. Sorry, this post was deleted by the person who originally posted it. The Pizza Hut sighting was the day he left to London. Youre just in a limbo the whole time.. Andrews family were the ones who tracked down CCTV footage of Andrew walking from his home on that day. He was seen by a family friend. It was originally scheduled to be held at 4pm (Weird time) and was a unique event as it was going to be the last show with the bands original vocalist. It is also entirely possible the person met him at Pizza Hut, but we may never know. You get cases like Madeline Mcann, Ben Needham were they get thousands to investigate. The family tried to file a missing person report with the South Yorkshire Police. . There were some reported sightings of Andrew at a Pizza Hut and at Covent Garden but the police were slack to follow these leads up. Gallery. Read More [11], After the initial CCTV trail went cold, the investigation moved on to trying to establish why Gosden had decided to go to London. Gosden did not use a computer at home, his father stated that Gosden did not have an e-mail address and had not set up an online account on either his Xbox or his PSP. My son vanished on a gap year trip 29 years ago but I still think about it every day. He told his parents that he had walked home from school instead of taking the bus. There have also been sightings in Plymouth, South Wales, Southend and Birkenhead. [68][69] Both men have been released under investigation while enquiries continue. [6] Gosden wore strong prescription glasses, is deaf in his left ear, and has a distinctive double ridge on his right ear. Police searched computers from Andrews school and the local library and they found there was no trace of any activity by Andrew. [9] However, the BTP could not locate Gosden in the crowds, so SYP sent an officer to London to assist with the search; after this, Gosden was spotted. Lucy Letby- Killer Nurse? Kevin received a tip from someone who said hed been talking to someone named Andyroo online who had been asking for money because his partner had walked out on him. Its just so shocking because its completely out of the blue. He could of been from Doncaster or around that area and either promised Andrew a lift home or to get the train back with him. The only thing I can find is that they just thought his mannerisms were similar, not if he was alone or with someone etc. [51], Later, other reported sighting locations included a park in Streatham, then further afield in South Wales, Birkenhead and Plymouth. The teenager, from Doncaster, was last seen on CCTV footage leaving Kings Cross Station that morning and his devastated family are still asking for answers many years later. I also love to people watch. [13], During the 2006 summer holidays Gosden attended a two-week residential school at Lancaster University as part of the Young Gifted and Talented Programme. An officer was later sent to London to review the footage, and Andrew was then spotted. Andrew has been described by his family as a quiet, gentle and extremely intelligent boy. [39] Gosden's family and friends searched the area until nightfall. People speculate about bullying and so on, but, [there was] nothing that anybody knew anything about. [67], Gosden's family have kept his room as he left it and have not changed the locks on the house as Gosden was known to have taken his key. There was no real evidence of this that they could find. Having got the 9.35am train, he was captured on Kings Cross CCTV at 11.25am. A police officer traveled to the station to talk to the man, but he was gone. I think Andrew was taken by 2 men that day. When we found that he hadn't even been to school even tried to go to school that was even more worrying. He also has a distinctive double ridge on his right ear. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. The Gosden family live in Balby, a suburb of Doncaster, South Yorkshire. They revealed they have been looking into prescriptions for glasses that were similar to what Andrew would have required. The person offered him money, and was told he didnt have a bank account because hed left home when he was 14. They also sent the serial number of the PSP to Sony. On 14 September 2007, the then 14-year-old walked out of the family home in Balby, Doncaster, boarded a train to London with a one-way ticket and was never seen by his family again. Dad Kevin Gosden, 56, has paid tribute to his missing son Andrew Gosden who disappeared without a trace in September 2007. A lot of CCTV had been wiped around Kings Cross, the stuff that may have given us a clue where he was going, whether he met anyone, was gone. [8], There were additional unconfirmed sightings on Oxford Street on Monday 17 September,[44] and the next day, when Gosden was said to have been sleeping in a park in Southwark. Brandon Lawson The 911 call that led to a mysterious disappearance. It's not confirmed it was really him. Early this year, South . [48] Gosden's family believe the most plausible sighting to be one which placed Gosden at the Pizza Hut on Oxford Street (2.6 miles (4 km), 1 hour's walk from Kings Cross) on the day he went missing. There has been no activity on his bank account since he withdrew the 200 pounds on 14 September 2007. It is unclear whether this was ever dredged or checked." They are believed to be the first arrests made in connection to Gosden's disappearance. He was very, very close to Charlotte, his sister, and I think if hed had a worry or an issue that he wanted somebody to confide in it would have been her that hed done that with, but she knew nothing either. [35], On 11 January 2022, South Yorkshire Police said that on 8 December 2021, detectives had arrested two men, aged 38 and 45, on suspicion of kidnapping and human trafficking. An early theory put forward by the family was that Gosden had decided to take in some of the sights. Within three hours of Andrews disappearance, his family had produced missing person posters. Kevin has said there were 2 or 3 sightings in the first week that seemed credible. He deviated from his usual route and routine and he went to a cash machine/ATM near a local garage (gas station). It was 2007, a lot of CCTV was still analogue, video tape and disk systems with limited storage, even digital systems have a wipe cycle, again 2007, technology was a lot more limited and storage expensive. I could understand him going there if he was meeting someone, but that doesn't seem the case, even in the slim chance it was him. You need to eat and be warm. As a result, it harmed efforts to retrieve footage from the surrounding area. The Pizza Hut sighting was the day he left to London. Thirty Seconds to Mars played at the Brixton academy on the night he disappeared, and SikTh played a show at the Carling Academy.