Germany Germany - Katrice Lee, 2, Schloss Neuhaus, Paderborn, 28 Nov 1981

A former serviceman who was arrested in connection of a toddler who went missing in Germany 38 years ago has been released without charge.

Katrice Lee, from Hartlepool, disappeared from a supermarket near a British army base in Paderborn in 1981.

Royal Military Police said an arrest had been made in the Swindon area on Monday.

The man has now been released without charge. Police continue to search an an address in Swindon.

Man arrested in 1981 missing toddler case released
 
A former serviceman who was arrested in connection of a toddler who went missing in Germany 38 years ago has been released without charge.

Katrice Lee, from Hartlepool, disappeared from a supermarket near a British army base in Paderborn in 1981.

Royal Military Police said an arrest had been made in the Swindon area on Monday.

The man has now been released without charge. Police continue to search an an address in Swindon.

Man arrested in 1981 missing toddler case released


Isn't being "arrested" in the UK different than being arrested in the US? I found this article but I am not sure if it's considered MSM. It does a good job though of explaining the differences.

What It’s Like To Be Arrested in the U.K.
 
Isn't being "arrested" in the UK different than being arrested in the US? I found this article but I am not sure if it's considered MSM. It does a good job though of explaining the differences.

What It’s Like To Be Arrested in the U.K.

I often roll that article out - explains the differences pretty well and yes, it's a very different process.

Disappointing this latest arrest hasn't led to a charge.
 
I feel sick to my stomach waiting to find out now. I lived in Germany for almost 9 years and every time we past the old, closed Schloss Neuhaus NAAFI to go the the NAAFI in Paderborn several times a week, I always said 'This is where Katrice disappeared'.

1981 or 2019 - The NAAFI shops are not overcrowded, full of strangers, noisy places; NAAFI is a huge part of our Armed Forces community and it would be rare to not bump into at least 1 person you know, even if you're the only people in the shop. Staff included.

There is absolutely no way a toddler could be removed from that shop with a fuss from her, she went quietly and unnoticed. And absolutely no way on her own, somebody would have noticed a toddler either leaving the huge amount of ground she'd have to to drown in a river or a toddler kicking and screaming being taken away.


I'm quite close to Swindon nowadays, strangly

Absolutely aching for Katrice and her family.

That’s what I’ve never been able to get my head around.

We left Germany in 79 and I was only 4 so although I have no memories of that NAAFI, I know I’ve been in there. I’ve certainly been in plenty of other NAAFIs in my time though, and it’s just not the sort of thing that happened.

It’s hard to explain to a civvie what life “on camp” was like, but it wasn’t like the real world. Yes, you had to look under your car for bombs before you got in it but children didn’t go missing. Bad things didn’t happen.

It still breaks my heart even after all these years, and I’ve had a knot in my stomach all day hoping that something would come of this arrest. I now want to cry that yet again it’s nothing.
 
That’s what I’ve never been able to get my head around.

We left Germany in 79 and I was only 4 so although I have no memories of that NAAFI, I know I’ve been in there. I’ve certainly been in plenty of other NAAFIs in my time though, and it’s just not the sort of thing that happened.

It’s hard to explain to a civvie what life “on camp” was like, but it wasn’t like the real world. Yes, you had to look under your car for bombs before you got in it but children didn’t go missing. Bad things didn’t happen.

It still breaks my heart even after all these years, and I’ve had a knot in my stomach all day hoping that something would come of this arrest. I now want to cry that yet again it’s nothing.
Doesn't one have to be a servicemember, family member, or verified personel, ( with specific I.D.) to get on base,or shop there?
 
Doesn't one have to be a servicemember, family member, or verified personel, ( with specific I.D.) to get on base,or shop there?

It depends whereabouts it was. If it wasn’t “behind the wire” then anyone could shop there, forces would’ve just needed a special ration card to buy certain things. Lots of British military bases employed German civilians in a variety of roles; they would have been able to come and go too (please note, I’m not implying anything just giving background).
 
Disappointing this latest arrest hasn't led to a charge.

Yet.

I’ve had a knot in my stomach all day hoping that something would come of this arrest. I now want to cry that yet again it’s nothing.

Just because someone's been released without charge doesn't mean they might not be charged later. Note that police were still searching the house when Mr X was let go. Note the police statement:

"He has now been released without charge. The search of an address in Swindon continues and the Royal Military Police are keeping the Lee family informed of developments."

Katrice Lee: Former serviceman released without charge
 
Doesn't one have to be a servicemember, family member, or verified personel, ( with specific I.D.) to get on base,or shop there?

Lots of the bigger NAAFIs, including this one, were “outside the wire”. They’re not in the main grounds of camp and you wouldn’t need to show ID to get into them.
Checkout staff sometimes ask if they don’t recognize you, but usually only if you’re buying alcohol or rationed items like cigarettes or coffee.
 
Lots of the bigger NAAFIs, including this one, were “outside the wire”. They’re not in the main grounds of camp and you wouldn’t need to show ID to get into them.
Checkout staff sometimes ask if they don’t recognize you, but usually only if you’re buying alcohol or rationed items like cigarettes or coffee.
Thank you. Interesting.
 
I'm thinking (hoping) they have got the right man, possibly as a result of the tip off from the ex-colleague, but don't want to use up the 96 hour clock until they've got more info and/or evidence.

I hope so this must be so stressful for Katrice’s family it is inhumane how much they are suffering.
 

I just don’t understand arresting someone and then releasing them a few hours later why on earth would they do that to a victims family after all these years? It must be devastating.
 
I just don’t understand arresting someone and then releasing them a few hours later why on earth would they do that to a victims family after all these years? It must be devastating.

I agree it must be. These case are terrible for the victims as seen by the fact the father still has hopes she is alive. There must be some reason behind it. I do not know but perhaps they hoped for a confession. An added problem is unfortunately the police or LE do not always get the right person at first but you would have thought they must have their suspicions with the person held.
 
I just don’t understand arresting someone and then releasing them a few hours later why on earth would they do that to a victims family after all these years? It must be devastating.
I think British laws are very strict about keeping somebody in jail before charging and prosecution.
Just speculation because I'm not sure at all...
 

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