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

[Romanystar]

I used to hang round kings cross in 1995 and it was a horrible place , not much has changed although it’s been revamped. Police didn’t care what happened in front of their eyes. He would presumably have left the cross and gone elsewhere , I believe he met up with someone either the same day or it was planned in advance. Taxi drivers could be dodgy too. Louise Tume also vanished from kings cross years ago but hardly any publicity. In London people walk miles without even realising it so he could have gone anywhere and he did have a basic London knowledge. I wonder if he went to see his grandmother and she wasn’t in, so he went elsewhere to kill time …. But ended up trusting someone. I’d be surprised if anything comes of the latest developments.

 

[dotr]

I used to hang round kings cross in 1995 and it was a horrible place , not much has changed although it’s been revamped. Police didn’t care what happened in front of their eyes. He would presumably have left the cross and gone elsewhere , I believe he met up with someone either the same day or it was planned in advance. Taxi drivers could be dodgy too. Louise Tume also vanished from kings cross years ago but hardly any publicity. In London people walk miles without even realising it so he could have gone anywhere and he did have a basic London knowledge. I wonder if he went to see his grandmother and she wasn’t in, so he went elsewhere to kill time …. But ended up trusting someone. I’d be surprised if anything comes of the latest developments.

Welcome to Ws Romanystar!
Thanks for mentioning missing Louise T. could not find a thread for her so got one going..
UK - UK- Louise Tume (Aka "Anya Ford") 18, Islington, London, 2005 (websleuths.com)

 

[Pinkizzy]

What about Alex Sloley,? He went missing in 2008

 

[dotr]

What about Alex Sloley,? He went missing in 2008

UK - UK - Alexander Sloley, 16, Enfield, London, 2 Aug 2008 | Page 3 (websleuths.com)

 

[VelvetDiamante]

What made him buy a single ticket to London? Was he running away and starting a new life elsewhere?

No I don't think he was at all

 

[cuecard]

What made him buy a single ticket to London? Was he running away and starting a new life elsewhere?

I don't see him buying a single ticket as overly odd. I did it all the time on busses and trains at that age, even if I was planning on returning by the same way. It may be just something he was used to doing? The reason for going to London, however, is the key to the whole mystery imo.

 

[rosesfromangels]

I don't see him buying a single ticket as overly odd. I did it all the time on busses and trains at that age, even if I was planning on returning by the same way. It may be just something he was used to doing? The reason for going to London, however, is the key to the whole mystery imo.

Perhaps this was intended as a ditch from school day to see some goth band that went awry, as we know it did. Clearly someone had been communicating with him, and perhaps lured him with the irresistible teenage appeal of being a band roadie for a day, or something similar. Unfortunately, it would seem that the outcome was far more sinister, but waiting on additional detail. It would be interesting to see if we can correlate any other concert activity to known trafficking lures.

I have the tiniest, tiniest wee shred of hope that against massive odds, Andrew somehow escaped this ring and may be living somewhere, perhaps too traumatized to contact his loved ones. I know given the odds that is fanciful, but I can't hope but pray.

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[JuicyLucy]

What made him buy a single ticket to London? Was he running away and starting a new life elsewhere?

I always kind of saw him as heading off for an adventure, in a similar way to Fatuma Kadir, the 14yo who took off to London from Bolton last summer thinking she was going to become a fashion designer. He might have bought a single because he had a long list of interesting things he thought he'd do and places he'd go, and he didn't know how long he was going to be.

 

[cuecard]

Perhaps this was intended as a ditch from school day to see some goth band that went awry, as we know it did. Clearly someone had been communicating with him, and perhaps lured him with the irresistible teenage appeal of being a band roadie for a day, or something similar. Unfortunately, it would seem that the outcome was far more sinister, but waiting on additional detail. It would be interesting to see if we can correlate any other concert activity to known trafficking lures.

I have the tiniest, tiniest wee shred of hope that against massive odds, Andrew somehow escaped this ring and may be living somewhere, perhaps too traumatized to contact his loved ones. I know given the odds that is fanciful, but I can't hope but pray.

Amateur opinion and speculation

I think it was probably something like that that went down. There was a trap somewhere and with someone and Andrew unfortunately fell into it imo. You certainly can hope and pray, you're not alone in that hope that's for sure.

 

[Kiranerys]

What made him buy a single ticket to London? Was he running away and starting a new life elsewhere?

I don't think he was. Wouldn't he have taken at least a couple of changes of clothes and he had more money than the £200 he took with him,but left it behind. If I was running away I would take every spare penny and clothes for a few days at least. MOO

 

[Deathsgrandaughter]

If I was running away I would take every spare penny and clothes for a few days at least. MOO

So would I, but I have a son around the same age as Andrew who at that age probably wouldn't. KG has said that Andrew was the kind of person you would have to pack a toothbrush for, so that doesn't surprise me.
That said, my thought has tended to be that he went for an adventure, and intended to come home, except something happened to prevent him, rather than running away.
ETA LINK to article containing toothbrush comment
From the article:
Alan Murray, vicar, neighbour, friend (and father of Sandy, above)
‘I saw Andrew as an absent-minded professor, a brilliant mathematician; Kevin used to say you’d have to pack a toothbrush on his behalf

 

[rosesfromangels]

So would I, but I have a son around the same age as Andrew who at that age probably wouldn't. KG has said that Andrew was the kind of person you would have to pack a toothbrush for, so that doesn't surprise me.
That said, my thought has tended to be that he went for an adventure, and intended to come home, except something happened to prevent him, rather than running away.
ETA LINK to article containing toothbrush comment
From the article:
Alan Murray, vicar, neighbour, friend (and father of Sandy, above)
‘I saw Andrew as an absent-minded professor, a brilliant mathematician; Kevin used to say you’d have to pack a toothbrush on his behalf

Based on the little we know, I tend to agree with your speculation. I don't think he was running away, I think he was attempting a Ferris Bueller's day off adventure. I suspect whatever he was being lured to (goth concert?) was something his parents wouldn't have let him go to, or clearly not with the people he ended up with.

While Andrew has been notably portrayed as a very bright kid, it's difficult for 14 year olds (no matter how bright) to "think it through" and comprehensively understand potential risks and consequences. of their choices. Thus, the parents that they generally loathe at this age!

While Andrew's fate is still unknown, we can take a small measure of comfort knowing that it is his case that has contributed to helping crack open a network of very evil doers who are a blight on society.

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[cuecard]

Based on the little we know, I tend to agree with your speculation. I don't think he was running away, I think he was attempting a Ferris Bueller's day off adventure. I suspect whatever he was being lured to (goth concert?) was something his parents wouldn't have let him go to, or clearly not with the people he ended up with.

While Andrew has been notably portrayed as a very bright kid, it's difficult for 14 year olds (no matter how bright) to "think it through" and comprehensively understand potential risks and consequences. of their choices. Thus, the parents that they generally loathe at this age!

While Andrew's fate is still unknown, we can take a small measure of comfort knowing that it is his case that has contributed to helping crack open a network of very evil doers who are a blight on society.

Amateur opinion and speculation

I think also, to add to your point, being a 14 year old who is book smart is a world away from being street smart. So, I definitely agree with your point about thinking it through regarding the potential risks and consequences etc.

 

[Deathsgrandaughter]

Doesn't science back up that teenage brains are not good are risk assessment? And book smart would not help with that IMO
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2154884-teenage-brains-cant-tell-whats-important-and-what-isnt/
Secrets of the teenage brain

The Guardian even mentions not wearing coats:
Why don’t teenagers wear coats, even in very cold or wet weather? I don’t think there’s a biological basis for this. It could be an example of their lack of executive function along with their risky, impulsive behaviour – they’re not planning ahead. Their priorities are not as common sense as they will become over time

 

[cuecard]

Doesn't science back up that teenage brains are not good are risk assessment? And book smart would not help with that IMO
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2154884-teenage-brains-cant-tell-whats-important-and-what-isnt/
Secrets of the teenage brain

The Guardian even mentions not wearing coats:
Why don’t teenagers wear coats, even in very cold or wet weather? I don’t think there’s a biological basis for this. It could be an example of their lack of executive function along with their risky, impulsive behaviour – they’re not planning ahead. Their priorities are not as common sense as they will become over time

Yeah, exactly. Plus you just need to think about some of your own behaviour at that age and how you would never even contemplate doing similar things now.

 

[Kiranerys]

I think also, to add to your point, being a 14 year old who is book smart is a world away from being street smart. So, I definitely agree with your point about thinking it through regarding the potential risks and consequences etc.

I agree with this too. I think its also a generational thing as the world gets "easier" with all the technology and whatnot. I have 4 boys and the elder 2 are 26 and 22,both incredibly bright lads but we are always astounded by the lack of common sense!. All the advancements in the world in the last 30 years plus the fact that parents have subconsciously molly coddled kids much more than the previous generations have knocked common sense on the head IMO
(In a general sense,not every parent or every kid)

 

[cuecard]

I agree with this too. I think its also a generational thing as the world gets "easier" with all the technology and whatnot. I have 4 boys and the elder 2 are 26 and 22,both incredibly bright lads but we are always astounded by the lack of common sense!. All the advancements in the world in the last 30 years plus the fact that parents have subconsciously molly coddled kids much more than the previous generations have knocked common sense on the head IMO
(In a general sense,not every parent or every kid)

I agree. I am relatively bright and have two degrees including a Masters and yet very little common sense. I would have 100% struggled on my own street wise if I had "ran away" at 14 and it is why I never, ever bought that theory with Andrew. I never got the impression he would have simply ran away on his own because I don't think it would have taken him very long to realise just how different book and street smart is.

 

[Dowls90]

Doesn't science back up that teenage brains are not good are risk assessment? And book smart would not help with that IMO
Teenage brains can’t tell what’s important and what isn’t | New Scientist
Secrets of the teenage brain

The Guardian even mentions not wearing coats:
Why don’t teenagers wear coats, even in very cold or wet weather? I don’t think there’s a biological basis for this. It could be an example of their lack of executive function along with their risky, impulsive behaviour – they’re not planning ahead. Their priorities are not as common sense as they will become over time

Your 'book smart' comment has just had me thinking...I wonder if he had a local library card? Did he like to read? Could that have been how he accessed the internet?

Also, does anyone have his usual route home? Did we have a map?

I'm sorry if this has been covered, after being away from this for sometime a lot of facts have slipped my memory!

 

[rosesfromangels]

Your 'book smart' comment has just had me thinking...I wonder if he had a local library card? Did he like to read? Could that have been how he accessed the internet?

Also, does anyone have his usual route home? Did we have a map?

I'm sorry if this has been covered, after being away from this for sometime a lot of facts have slipped my memory!

Excellent thinking. Today, many libraries have SW that blocks various sites, as well as track activity. In 2007, it's not as likely, and the trail there would likely be cold given the span of time. Not impossible, but likely untraceable at this time. Great thinking Dowls90!

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[Dowls90]

Excellent thinking. Today, many libraries have SW that blocks various sites, as well as track activity. In 2007, it's not as likely, and the trail there would likely be cold given the span of time. Not impossible, but likely untraceable at this time. Great thinking Dowls90!

Amateur opinion and speculation

Thank you Roses, that is exactly what I was thinking RE the tracking.
I am unsure where he 100% lived but I do know he was seen walking through Westfield Park and on CCTV on Littlemore lane . Balby Community library is only a 13 minute walk away from those two locations so it wouldn't be a long way for him to visit often, if he lived around that location that is.

All my own opinion, of course