20 September 2023 , 16:33
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Two men arrested in connection with the disappearance of a teen feared to have been sold into a sex gang have been released from the investigation, police said.
The pair were taken into custody in December 2021 on suspicion of kidnap and human trafficking after Andrew Gosden vanished 16 years ago aged just 14. But today, a spokesperson from South Yorkshire Police said they were now "confident" that the two individuals played "no part" in his disappearance.
The straight A* student left his house in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, on September 14, 2007 and withdrew £200, before buying a one-way ticket to London. He was last seen on CCTV at Kings Cross Station, but there have been no confirmed sightings since and his reasons for heading to the capital remain a mystery.
Speaking to The Mirror in July, dad Kevin Gosden said he and wife Glenys, 58, have entertained every painful possibility over the years. The 57-year-old said: "I've had nightmares for years now. Your brain goes through a lot of scenarios, most of them very unpleasant. It hasn't gotten easier at all - it's harder the more time that elapses the further away you get from any real clue or answer."
CCTV footage showing 14-year-old Andrew at Kings Cross station on September 14 2007 (PA Archive/PA Images)Police said they had “seized a number of items” from the suspects while they were being investigated over the last two years. But they’ve now confirmed that the two unnamed individuals have been released without charge. Detective Chief Inspector Andy Knowles said: “We’re confident the two men arrested played no part in Andrew’s disappearance and have been eliminated from our inquiries.
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“However the investigation remains open and active and we would urge anyone with information to come forward. It’s now been 16 years since Andrew’s disappearance and we know in that time people’s views, opinions and loyalties can change. Even the smallest piece of information could help detectives find answers for Andrew’s family who have campaigned tirelessly for answers.”
Digitally-aged image was released in 2019 to show what Andrew could have looked like in his mid-20sAndrew’s dad Kevin Gosden said he was finding it “barely possible to function” as he marked 16 years since his son vanished last week. But he released a joint statement with Andrew’s mum, Glenys Gosden, today where they shared their “profound sorrow” at the distress caused to the two innocent men.
They said: “As a family, we wish to extend our thanks to DCI Andy Knowles and his team for carrying out such a comprehensive investigation. It is reassuring to know that any possible leads relating to Andrew’s disappearance in 2007 continue to be dealt with in a thorough and professional manner. Our hearts go out to the men who have been exonerated of any involvement in Andrew’s disappearance.
Andrew's dad Kevin beside a portrait of his son (Paul David Drabble)“They have no connection to our missing son and we feel profoundly sorry for the inevitable distress that such allegations will have caused. The past months of this investigation have been a period of additional difficulty for our family, intensifying our sense of living in limbo, not knowing what happened to our much-loved son. We are grateful to South Yorkshire Police for helping us to draw a line under this specific aspect as a result of their time-consuming and considered approach to the investigation.”
They added: “As a family, our emotional reaction is to feel that, after so much effort over the past 16 years, we remain no closer to discovering what has happened to Andrew. Details of Andrew’s case are readily available online and as always, we continue to appeal to the public to pass any information they may have to Missing People or to the police."