Deceased/Not Found UK - Steven Clark, 23, disabled, Saltburn, Dec 1992

[Tortoise]

I don't think she's been mentioned at all.

There was an outstanding appeal to find Steven, by his sister, stating that Steven went missing on the 27th, which was the Sunday. It was taken down shortly after the arrests.

Just linking to the post in this thread which contains his sister's appeal from December 2007 -

Deceased/Not Found - UK - Steven Clark, 23, disabled, murdered, Saltburn, Dec 1992 *Arrests in 2020*

 

[ZaZara]

I don't think she's been mentioned at all.

There was an outstanding appeal to find Steven, by his sister, stating that Steven went missing on the 27th, which was the Sunday. It was taken down shortly after the arrests.

If I remember well, it is mentioned in one of the recent reports in de press that the sister is younger, perhaps 2 years. She'd be 20, 21 in 1992. I get the impression that she no longer lived at home at the time and she might have been at university. One would expect her to come home for the holidays and most of all Christmas. Christmas 1992 was a very long weekend. She might have left during or at the end of the weekend, but if she went home for Christmas, she would have been an important source about the presence of her brother. If she did not go home, she might have called and spoken to her brother.

I find this confusing (on top of the confusion over the dates). The detective made a call for witnesses who might have seen Steven in the time span 24-27 December. Does that imply that the sister did not go home?

It is one of the big question marks that I have about this case, based on what little is mentioned about her in the press. If the sister came home for Christmas, it does not make sense to put the disapperance of Steven at an earlier moment, because she would have noticed his absence.

 

[Al Ka]

I am really shocked by some of the comments here. Am I really the only one here who see all this in very different way? Are we really so easily swayed by what and how media writes? The headlines? The way they blow up and adjust words to sell their news often with multiple errors in the cases?

Comparing this case to Margaret Flemming case? Really? The poor innocent disabled girl who was abused, beaten and tortured for years, hidden and locked up in house with no contact with any people?....

There is Zero evidence so far. Nilch. Implicating parents. That is a fact.

If after 30 years of this particular police force (whose incompetence is well documented) doing nothing, they showed up at my door accusing me of murder of my own son based on nothing, but ONE anonymous tip, mind you which they also ignored for the past 30 years, then tear my whole life apart once again and smear me and whole my life in front of the whole nation, feeding stories to media, after monthS of this torture, you all bet I would be opening the biggest champagne once they admitted that they messed up once again. Of course, just yet with another destruction left behind.

This parents life changed decades ago and certainly after this, it will never be the same again. There will be always someone out there pointing finger at them to their face, just because they read some news article.

Imagine, if they are innocent. How it all feels.

Please let's all re-evaluate, how we react to what we read, over-analyze words published by someone who writes 10 different news articles in 5 minutes and could care less, changing someone's life forever ...

Let's also remember Jodi Jones brutal murder currently featuring in news and what happened to 14 year old kid there crucified by police and media at that time and still locked up 17 years later based on nothing. Zero evidence. Yes, police feed media, media feeds public and hence it all can go wrong sometimes with horrible consequences.

Until I hear any facts or concrete evidence reported on this case pointing to them, I personally will stay unconvinced. I will stay unconvinced that they had anything to do with any of this. No matter how certain news articles will make me feel or what headline they will choose for tomorrow.

One headline though was a fact: they are cleared.

 

[ZaZara]

If after 30 years of this particular police force (whose incompetence is well documented) doing nothing, they showed up at my door accusing me of murder of my own son based on nothing, but ONE anonymous tip, mind you which they also ignored for the past 30 years, then tear my whole life apart once again and smear me and whole my life in front of the whole nation, feeding stories to media, after monthS of this torture, you all bet I would be opening the biggest champagne once they admitted that they messed up once again. Of course, just yet with another destruction left behind.

RSBM & BBM

Amen to that.

I wonder how Cleveland Police is doing with their other unsolved cold cases

Family of missing man in call for DNA system

Another local man Craig Hetherington, from Guisborough, has been missing since the early hours of Saturday February 22, 2003.

Mr Hetherington, then aged 22, was last seen leaving The Cornerhouse nightclub in Middlesbrough at about 1am. He has not been heard from since.

According to friends who had spent the evening with him, Craig was not drunk when he left and the Teesside University chemical engineering student gave no indication he was planning to disappear.

On April 19, 1998 Donna Keogh, then aged 17, disappeared having last been seen at an address on Bow Street, Middlesbrough.

Repeated appeals from police and family have never shed light on what happened next.

Rachel Wilson was just 19 when she was last seen on Southfield Road, Middlesbrough, in the early hours of May 31, 2002. Despite a massive police inquiry, not a trace of the former Hall Garth School pupil has been found.


BBM

£25m probe expected to uncover 'substantial' child sex scandal

The £25m investigation expected to uncover 'substantial' child sex exploitation in Cleveland Police area
Teesside Live has seen a report that describes 'poor quality' investigations and predicts further scrutiny for Cleveland Police

A major inquiry into how detectives failed three murdered Teesside girls is expected to expose a “substantial” child sexual abuse scandal.

Cleveland Police established a specialist team to look back at the murders of Donna Keogh, Vicky Glass and Rachel Wilson.

But a review of the grant application to the Home Office - seen by Teesside Live - reveals the full extent of the force inquiry.

The damning report by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire Services (HMICFRS) notes “poor quality” investigations and failings by the force in relation to the three tragic murder victims.

What is Operation Pandect?
Operation Pandect is the name of the inquiry run by a specialist team from Cleveland Police.

It has four separate strands; Operations Resolute, Ardent, Seyton and Sturgeon.

* Operation Resolute is concerned with the investigation into the murder of Donna Keogh. The 17-year-old was last seen at a house party in Bow Street in Middlesbrough in May 1998.

* Operation Ardent relates to 21-year-old Stockton woman Vicky Glass, whose body was found in North Yorkshire on November 3, 2000. As in Donna’s case, her killer has never been brought to justice.

* Operation Seyton involves Rachel Wilson, who was 19 when she was reported missing in June 2002. Her remains were not recovered until June 27, 2012, when they were found on farmland in Middlesbrough. A local suspect arrested four years ago remains on police bail.

* Operation Sturgeon which will deal with the sexual exploitation and abuse of other young people.


BBM


One wonders.... same area....

 

[Tortoise]

I've prepared a TIMELINE to record the facts of the case. The hyper-links are to the sources of the information.

DC - Doris Clark, Steven's mother
CC - Charles Clark, Steven's father
VC - Victoria Clark, Steven's sister


1959 (around) DC joined Northumbria Police in South Shields. (Age 20 in 1959.)

1964 (around) CC joined Northumbria Police in South Shields. (Age 21 in Jan 1964.) This is where DC and CC met.

Late 1968 Steven is in utero.

1969 (around) DC and CC left the police – DC had served 10 years and CC served 5. He then set up a car rental business.

30 Aug 1969 Steven Charles Clark born Colchester, Essex. DC is 30. CC is 27.

1970 VC (Steven's sister) born. DC is 32. CC is 28.

1972. Steven was hit by a lorry in Kirkliston, West Lothian. Age 2, nearly 3. VC age 1 ½. He was left with “a severely damaged left arm, a damaged leg and pronounced limp with his ability to walk described as severely impaired.” He also suffered a brain injury . He needed help to dress and would get frustrated over his shoelaces.

Early 1980’s – Clarks (all of them? or just the children?) moved to Benoni, South Africa. Steven 11 in 1980, went to Muriel Brand School for learners with learning disabilities and cerebral palsy.

1990 - before Steven’s 21st birthday in August – Steven moved back from South Africa to live in Guildford, Surrey. Steven age 20.

Summer 1991 – Clarks bought a house in Marske. Steven age 22.

1992 – Steven awarded apprentice of year by the Rathbone Society (organisation which supports people with learning disabilities) in Redcar, but he had not collected the £1,000 cash prize which went with it. Steven had been unable to find work but he did some voluntary work. Steven had a new girlfriend. He wanted his independence. Most weekends he went with CC to watch Middlesbrough play.


26 Dec 1992, Saturday, Boxing Day – DC now says (in 2021) that Steven disappeared on Saturday. Middlesbrough were playing away at Everton, a 150 mile drive from Marske.

27 Dec 1992, Sunday – Steven’s sister VC made a facebook post (in 2007) saying 27th was the date Steven went missing. (Was she still living abroad at this time? No mention of her spending Christmas with family.)

28 Dec 1992, Monday, (official narrative) - Steven’s disappearance at 3pm, age 23, from public toilets on Saltburn Promenade, after a 3-mile walk to Saltburn beach from 4 Coast Road with DC. Steven had argued with his dad about who was going to pay for a football ticket for Steven and as a result Steven decided not to go. CC age 50, DC age 54.

12:25pm low-tide

2pm ? (guess) DC and Steven leave for about 1 hr walk (calculating a leisurely pace) to Saltburn. Steven leaves home without his wallet, cash, spectacles, watch and all personal belongings. Police say he has difficulties walking and a slow pace.

2pm ? (guess) CC leaves for football match.

3pm football kick-off

3pm Steven last seen by DC going into toilets on promenade.

3:15-3:20pm After waiting outside the toilets for about 15 minutes, and watching two men (with a little girl) taking it in turns to go into the toilets, DC leaves to return home without Steven, to put the kettle on.

Before dark - (reported to police in 2020) - a witness says she saw Steven walking on the High Street in Marske, in the direction of the Ship Inn (away from Marske Square). She discussed it with her family at the time of the reported disappearance and didn’t think it was relevant to the case at that time.

3.44pm sunset.

4:15pm (? About 1 hr leisurely walk, having now walked about 6 miles total that afternoon) DC gets home, puts kettle on and says she got three cups out for coffee, expecting Steven to come home.

4:30pm CC’s football match finishes.

5pm ? CC gets home ?

6.30pm high-tide

After a while DC and CC say they went on the beach with torches (note tide times above) and then CC went out in the car looking for Steven.

That day - DC reported Steven missing to police. DC says in Sep 2020 that she reported Steven missing but “she was told to wait 72 hours (3 days) because he was 23 and could have gone of his own accord.” In Feb 2021, DC says the wait to officially report him missing was 24 hours.

30 Dec 1992 – CC tells the Mirror in Dec 2020 that Steven was seen by a lot of people 2 or 3 days after he went missing. “He was alive in Redcar days later, from the police statements at the time.” These sightings were never confirmed despite extensive police enquiries. CC tells the Mail in Feb 2021 that his friend Stan who has since died saw Steven in Redcar but Steven “ran” off.

1993 Clarks made an appeal on ITV’s London Tonight programme.

24 Sep 1999 anonymous letter naming ‘Steven’s killer’ sent to Guisborough police station, postmark Teesside, misspelling name as Stephen.

Aug 2004 – BBC programme “The Day They Disappeared” and Big Issue magazine featured Steven’s case.

26 Dec 2007 Steven’s sister VC makes a facebook appeal stating he went missing on 27th December which is the day before official reports.

29 Dec 2010 CC tells the press he would like the government to compile a DNA database for missing people.

Sep 2011 Google streetview shows the house with an integral garage.

Sep 2020 press photos (article here) show the integral garage was converted into an internal room between 2011 and 2020.

2020 – cold case detectives reopened the case.

Mid Sep 2020 - parents arrested on suspicion of murder, and bailed. CC says about Steven “a bad limp affected his walk but he could have got quite a distance in a short time, we walked to Saltburn regularly. He was quick if he wanted to be.” The house was searched, garden excavated and local area searched.

17 Sep 2020 – police appeal for the anonymous letter writer of 24 Sep 1999 to come forward.

Sep 2020 – After parent’s arrests the findsteven facebook page is locked down.

23 Sep 2020 – it’s reported that a witness who saw Steven late afternoon after he was last seen by DC but before dark, on 28th comes forward to police.

20 Oct 2020 – charity crimestoppers offers a £10,000 reward for anonymous information about the 'murder'.

11 Nov 2020 – police reveal more information about the anonymous letter of 1999; writer was well-educated, knew Steven was dead, and claims to know the person responsible.

3 Dec 2020 – anonymous letter writer comes forward to police.

16 Feb 2021 – Clarks are released from investigation without charge. Police continue to classify the case as suspected murder. The Clarks are ecstatic and celebrate with champagne.

Feb 2021 – Clarks say they have never declared Steven dead and haven’t dared move house in case Steven turns up. They say the police think DC killed Steven and CC got rid of his body. DC says Steven disappeared on the Saturday (26th) and the football match was on the Saturday. DC says Steven was “tight” and wouldn’t pay for his own football ticket.

 

[Morag]

This may have been discussed already- I haven’t read every page- but was Steven awarded a (large) settlement for his childhood accident? Maybe it was held in trust until he was 21?

 

[Jayzcee]

Man missing for 28 years in 'unsolved murder' seen in footage

Apologies if this has been posted before, I have been reading the thread with great interest and do not remember seeing it.

There has been a lot of questions about how disabled Steven was and his ability to walk (or even run) distances. This clip shows him walking and a very small amount of him talking as well which I think gives us a real insight into the level of disability he had..

 

[Jayzcee]

This may have been discussed already- I haven’t read every page- but was Steven awarded a (large) settlement for his childhood accident? Maybe it was held in trust until he was 21?

I haven't seen anyone have any answers to this, certainly if it happened now you would expect a huge payout. I'm not sure quite how things were with regards to the 'where there's blame there's a claim' culture in the 70's but you'd expect something.

 

[Morag]

I haven't seen anyone have any answers to this, certainly if it happened now you would expect a huge payout. I'm not sure quite how things were with regards to the 'where there's blame there's a claim' culture in the 70's but you'd expect something.

No, a payout in the early 90’s likely would have seemed quite modest when compared to the sums involved in similar events today. Yet it could still have been an impressive amount to most people. And if it were awarded at the time of his accident, the 20 years’ worth of interest could have made it a pretty tidy sum. I am curious. Qui Bene? The Clarks bought their house just after Steven came back from SA.

And speaking of money...that £1,000 prize in the apprenticeship award seems like a pretty handsome amount 30 years ago. Steven must have done really well to be awarded it.

 

[Anon49]

They say they haven’t dared move house, in case Steven turns up

If they move house he probably will 'turn up ' under the foundations. After all this all his father is bothered about is his flower beds?!

 

[Anon49]

£8 in 1992 is around £17 today. So not expensive on double police wages?

And I suspect Stephen will of been in receipt of disability benefits at the time so he should of had his own money.

 

[ZaZara]

And I suspect Stephen will of been in receipt of disability benefits at the time so he should of had his own money.

Disability Benefits weren't introduced in the UK until 1992, the year Steven disappeared.

 

[elliefant]

They were but they were called different names - eg in the 1980s they were Invalidity Benefit (if have paid national insurance), Severe Disability Allowance (if have not paid national insurance) and others

Source ; have worked in a benefit office

 

[Skigh]

No, a payout in the early 90’s likely would have seemed quite modest when compared to the sums involved in similar events today. Yet it could still have been an impressive amount to most people. And if it were awarded at the time of his accident, the 20 years’ worth of interest could have made it a pretty tidy sum. I am curious. Qui Bene? The Clarks bought their house just after Steven came back from SA.

And speaking of money...that £1,000 prize in the apprenticeship award seems like a pretty handsome amount 30 years ago. Steven must have done really well to be awarded it.

The Clarks more than likely inherited the house after his mother died..
I do wonder why the prize money was not collected.

 

[ZaZara]

They were but they were called different names - eg in the 1980s they were Invalidity Benefit (if have paid national insurance), Severe Disability Allowance (if have not paid national insurance) and others

Source ; have worked in a benefit office

Would Steven have qualified immediately after living for a decade (1980-1990) outside GB, in South Africa?

 

[elliefant]

There are rules about Habitual Residence called an HR Test and I don’t recall all their intricacies now, but essentially they are more favourable for people with a prior UK background, with family and other ties/connections in the country, and with a permanent residence available here. I think he would have passed the test but don’t quote me on that.

 

[elliefant]

Also to add the benefits allowed recipients to do “Limited Work” while receiving benefit.

 

[ZaZara]

There are rules about Habitual Residence called an HR Test and I don’t recall all their intricacies now, but essentially they are more favourable for people with a prior UK background, with family and other ties/connections in the country, and with a permanent residence available here. I think he would have passed the test but don’t quote me on that.

I won't quote you, no worries. Thanks for the explanation

Steven was reported misssing almost immediately, this is not a case where benefits by any name would have been paid out for years to 'carers'.

IMO he was in a good place at the time of his disappearance, with a good social life, an education that went well and means of his own. Makes sense that his father did no longer want to pay for the tickets for the match.

 

[Skigh]

Would the amount increase once he reached 21?

Would he get allowances or access to a housing scheme to enable him to move to his own accommodation rather than live at home?

Just wondering if he had wanted to move somewhere with his girl friend and that caused arguements at home.

 

[Kitkat28]

Would the amount increase once he reached 21?

Would he get allowances or access to a housing scheme to enable him to move to his own accommodation rather than live at home?

Just wondering if he had wanted to move somewhere with his girl friend and that caused arguements at home.

Do we know if he had a girlfriend or were you just thinking of scenarios?