UK UK - Andrew Gosden, 14, Doncaster, South Yorks, 14 Sep 2007 #2

Those of you who are “shocked” and “didn’t expect this” - why?

Is it because you assumed he’d left of his own accord or because you didn’t think the police would ever catch anyone?

I’ve always expected this day to come. Hopefully now his family can get justice and closure (not just his dad but his mum and sister too, who always seem to get forgotten).
Honestly I assumed the police wouldn't make any developments in this case, it felt very cold at this point. So even this bit of news as shocked me, I just hope Andrew's family can get some answers eventually.
 
I read the news and came straight here. I never thought they would find out what happened to Andrew. I do hope that this leads to answers for his family however hard they might be so that they can start to heal from it.
 
I followed this for a few months a few years ago and I shocked by the development as it’s taken so long bur unfortunately this always felt like what the outcome would be.

A young innocent kid is easy prey to monsters like these. They know what buttons to press and to gain trust.
 
Heart skipped a beat when I saw this update after work. You read so much into these cases and feel so much for Kevin and his family for many years and then suddenly one afternoon there’s a breaking story. I hope they are coping at this time.
I suppose kidnapping and trafficking wouldn’t have to mean there was any premeditated plan to meet up that day. They always seemed sure there was no phone or internet link, so be could have been offered somewhere to stay or something whilst in London from the likes of these two ‘men’. What a horrible world as if we needed anymore reminders here.

In cases such as Claudia Lawrence’s we have seen multiple arrests over numerous years that have never brought about a conclusion in answers for the family, so let’s see where this leads.
 
It’s mentioned previously that Andrew had “lost 2 mobile phones” in the past. Could he have lied and kept one to secretly communicate with someone?
Seems plausible, though presumably the police would easily be able to track usage if he'd had a contract phone. Can the police trace calls on pay-as-you-go phones? I'm not sure...
 
omg my heart also skipped a beat when I read the news just now! not good that they have been released pending investigation, honestly the police really messed up this investigation from the get go , makes me so angry! they should have been able to track his movements on cctv and should have followed up witnesses sooner than they did. Sadly being groomed and lured to London made the most sense to me, I hope they may find him some where alive but i really think it unlikely if he has been trafficed :(
 
I've been invested in Andrew's case now for years. We are the same age and something about him just resonated with me. I was stunned when I seen the news today, I had nearly resigned myself to it always being a tragic mystery. I sincerely hope his family are now inching towards a real resolution - whatever that may be. 14 years of the unknown must feel like a life time for them. Let's get you home, Andrew!
 
I want to think that we would never have heard of these arrests unless there is something to it.
This is how I feel too. There's been nothing about Andrew's case for so long now that it would be strange if it turned out to have nothing to do with him.

On the one hand I really hope something does come of this so that the Gosdens finally have some answers; on the other hand it would mean Andrew met an incredibly grim fate when he went to London and that's not something any parent should have to think about.
 
Those of you who are “shocked” and “didn’t expect this” - why?

Is it because you assumed he’d left of his own accord or because you didn’t think the police would ever catch anyone?

Well, I did think he left of his own accord, but was spotted alone in London by a paedophile or child sex gang.

I didn't expect it, because I was hoping beyond hope that I was wrong and he had runaway and somehow managed to forge a new life for himself.

The fact he really was taken, confirms a deep seated fear that we all have. That pedophile gangs do operate in broad daylight, and can (and do) take whomever they choose......for their sick, sick, sick evil desires. There's no stopping them.

My mind doesn't want to believe the harsh truth of it all.
 
Those of you who are “shocked” and “didn’t expect this” - why?

Is it because you assumed he’d left of his own accord or because you didn’t think the police would ever catch anyone?

I’ve always expected this day to come. Hopefully now his family can get justice and closure (not just his dad but his mum and sister too, who always seem to get forgotten).

I didn't expect arrests.

I did consider kidnapping and harm a possibly, but to see the possibility of trafficking is the absolute worst possibility. It is a shocking possibility to me, even though I know it happens.

I thought it usually (not always) happens to kids and teens who are less likely to be searched for immediately, like those already living a transient lifestyle.

The worst I was imagining was a lone abductor who then kept his actions a secret.

But trying to keep in mind, this is a long way from being solved.
 
on the other hand it would mean Andrew met an incredibly grim fate when he went to London and that's not something any parent should have to think about.

I think this is almost certainly the case after the latest developments. The new life theories were always pure fantasy and not remotely credible but it's still shocking to see this that's come to light today.

One incredibly worrying thought I had, is that if Andrew was taken by these people, just how many other children have they taken in the last 14 or so years?
 
An explanation of what "released under investigation" means:

Released Under Investigation means that, following arrest, the police need to carry out further investigative work, namely to make enquiries, before they can present your case to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

Is Released Under Investigation the same as Bail?

In short, no. Released Under Investigation was introduced to the policing system to allow police more time to carry out detailed investigations without the restrictions of the 28-day limit enforced by bail.

Released Under Investigation vs. Bail – What You Need to Know | Donald Race & Newton Solicitors Burnley

New provisions came into force under the Policing and Crime Act 2017 stating that a suspect should only be released on Police bail if it is necessary and proportionate.

If an investigation is ongoing but the Police are unable to justify the imposition of bail, defendants are released under investigation (RUI). This means that there is no requirement to return to a police station at a future date, nor are you subject to any bail conditions.

Should any further evidence come to light, you may be re-arrested or invited back to the Police station on a voluntary basis for a further interview.

Released Under Investigation vs Police Bail - Slater Heelis

The concept of release under investigation was debated in parliament in March of last year:

Being released under investigation means that someone is suspected of a criminal offence and that the investigation into their alleged criminal activity is ongoing. They may have been arrested, but they have not been charged, nor has their case been passed to the Crown Prosecution Service. However, they are not out of the woods, because the police are still suspicious that they might have committed a criminal offence.

...

Indeed, RUI is often perceived, to the detriment of both alleged suspects and alleged victims, to be a pending tray for more complex cases, allowing overstretched detectives to tackle simpler cases with an easier prospect of conviction, which is a very unsatisfactory state of affairs.

...

To paint a picture, typically what happens is that someone is interviewed under caution by the police, but there are not sufficient grounds to charge them. However, the police do not want to dismiss that person as a suspect just yet; instead, they want more time to make their inquiries, before deciding whether or not to refer the person’s case to the Crown Prosecution Service. The police therefore choose to release the person under investigation, which allows the person to leave the police station, but the police can still seize their personal property as evidence.

The person will be told about the outcome of the investigation at some point in the future. That creates a great deal of uncertainty, because they do not know if the police will eventually charge them or drop the case against them. To make matters worse, the investigation process has no maximum time limit, which is absolutely ridiculous. It means that the person could be kept waiting for weeks, months or even years before discovering their fate.

https://hansard.parliament.uk/commo...A/ReleaseUnderInvestigationMetropolitanPolice
 
After 15 years you don’t just arrest people randomly. LE obviously have something to suggest they are involved.

Here, arrested often translates as, "We think this person may be involved but we need to interview them". The police then typically have 24 hours to interview them and then they must decide to charge, release on bail or release under investigation. People can only be charged if the CPS (separate to the police) agree that there is enough evidence that there's a realistic chance of conviction, which isn't always an easy task. It is not wholly uncommon here to release suspects several times as part of the investigation before finally filing charges.
 

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