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

[Deathsgrandaughter]

The early report you found is so sad, because they all thought the sightings meant he would be found soon.

That's what I thought. They have so much optimism. Absolutely heartbreaking. I would love to hear your theory too.

I'm working on list of articles about this case, just so they can all be together in one place, but it's going a bit slowly. I'll post eventually when I'm finished. It's just going to be written articles, though, not links to podcasts, etc.

That sounds a fabulous resource, and a lot of work! Look forward to seeing that.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

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With how active Andrew's father is in keeping the case visible, we are drawn to it, I think, and just hope so much for answers for them.

 

[tyrnill]

When my sons were younger, they played constantly and have on occasion, chatted with fellow gamers online while playing. Has this been investigated?

<modsnip>His PSP had never connected to the internet.

People who are "extremely online" (it me; i'm people) have a hard time understanding it, but even now there are people who just don't spend a lot of time on the computer. In 2007, even more so. The family didn't even have a computer until a couple of months before he disappeared, when one was given to his sister, and he's reported not to have shown any interest in it. He just played his 1P games on the handheld.

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[Grouse]

No, free wifi wasn't as readily available then as now (certainly wasn't available on trains), but I do recall around 2007 that it was available in places like Starbucks and MacDonalds in the UK because I remember a colleague at work went round testing it on his work laptop as part of a project to look at the security aspects (that was his excuse for getting out of the office anyway).

BBM - I checked back on this and I was incorrect about the date of that project, it was a few years later. I also googled and see that it was more like 2010 before these type of places started offering free wifi. My thinking was that he may have used the PSP in such places for web browsing unbeknownst to his family, but I do agree that this is very unlikely now.

 

[Sillybilly]

Fair enough, if that's the case, I thought it was worth exploring anyway.



No, free wifi wasn't as readily available then as now (certainly wasn't available on trains), but I do recall around 2007 that it was available in places like Starbucks and MacDonalds in the UK because I remember a colleague at work went round testing it on his work laptop as part of a project to look at the security aspects (that was his excuse for getting out of the office anyway).

A 1998 BBC article about getting schools in the UK connected to the internet.

Not free wifi, but I'm wondering if LE checked into the possibility that Andrew accessed the internet from their school library.

 

[AliceInPain]

A 1998 BBC article about getting schools in the UK connected to the internet.

Not free wifi, but I'm wondering if LE checked into the possibility that Andrew accessed the internet from their school library.

Or any library. I used to take my kids to our local library to play internet games in the early 2000's and lots of kids around Andrew's age were in a line waiting for their turn on the computers.

 

[Grouse]

A 1998 BBC article about getting schools in the UK connected to the internet.

Not free wifi, but I'm wondering if LE checked into the possibility that Andrew accessed the internet from their school library.

Think it was discussed up thread that they did but I recall reports seemed a bit vague about it and also which other libraries were checked. Also apparently in some schools at that time internet access didn't even require an individual username/password.

ETA:

Post #93 sums it up well - UK - UK - Andrew Gosden, 14, Doncaster, South Yorks, 14 Sep 2007 #2

And from post #189 - "Andrew had some access to the web but not an awful lot. Andrew occasionally borrowed his sister's laptop but not much. " - I still don't think it can be ruled out he accessed the internet from home, and that kind of implies he might have. Some have said they had no internet connection at home based on the fact they hadn't had a computer for very long, but I don't think that's been corroborated. It's quite common when households get a computer for the first time to also get set up with an internet connection.

 

[Deathsgrandaughter]

It is sad, after a flurry of hopeful activity, that this thread has gone quiet again. Hope that is not the last we have heard of the two men arrested, and some closure, if not good news, arises from it.

 

[jslk]

A 1998 BBC article about getting schools in the UK connected to the internet.

Not free wifi, but I'm wondering if LE checked into the possibility that Andrew accessed the internet from their school library.

I honestly don't think there _was_ a lot of WiFi at that time, full stop... it was still mostly actual plug in connections in schools. I qualified as a teacher shortly before this time so remember whay it was like.

 

[SeaEclipse]

Sorry. Thought this was new news!

 

[peanutJelly]

DBM

 

[Algo214]

Bump for Andrew.

 

[emem1138]

Bumping for Andrew

 

[dotr]

Andrew Gosden - Missing People

• 14
• MISSING FROM
  Doncaster, South Yorkshire
• MISSING SINCE
  14/09/2007
• REFERENCE NO
  07-019198

Jan. 2022
Andrew Gosden: What happened to Andrew Gosden, how long has he been missing and why have arrests been made | The Star
''On Tuesday, January 11, 2022, South Yorkshire Police confirmed they detained two men, assisted by officers from the Metropolitan Police, on Wednesday, December 8 last year.

They said that a 45-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of kidnap, human trafficking and the possession of indecent images of children, and a 38-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of kidnap and human trafficking. Both have now been released under investigation while enquiries continue.

Senior investigating officer Detective Inspector Andy Knowles said: “Our priority at this time is supporting Andrew’s family while we work through this new line of enquiry in the investigation. We are in close contact with them and they ask that their privacy is respected as our investigation continues.''

 

[emem1138]

Bumping for Andrew. I think of him at least once a day, and Asha Degree and pray for their families.

 

[Blanche]

bump

 

[emem1138]

When I get the notifications for Andrew and Asha Degree in my email from here I always hold my breath a little and say a quick prayer.
I wish their families had resolution. And Andrew--if you are out there and you are reading this please at least let your parents and sister know you are okay. You are an uncle now too!

 

[Goulangou]

Just a thought.

I’m actually from about a mile from where Andrew Gosden lived with his parents. I moved away as a kid before Andrew was born and don’t have any special knowledge about the case however something did occur to me.

Various posts here and elsewhere have speculated on whether or not the police know something that isn’t in the public domain, something they aren’t saying. I don’t know if this is true, however if it is, there may be a very good legal reason.

Some people have speculated about grooming by adults, meeting someone for whatever reason etc. I note also that one of the December arrests was in connection with indecent images. If something like that did happen after he disappeared he would be entitled to lifelong anonymity.

The law in England is extremely strict about this and forbids even “jigsaw identification”, i.e. publishing or posting anything online that might indicate someone’s whereabouts, current appearance, relationship to others or the name they’re using if it’s been changed. The government even prosecuted a newspaper several years ago for printing a silhouette of someone making well publicised claims of abuse.

If something terrible like that happened to him and if he is still alive somewhere (even in prison or a hospital for whatever reason) the police would not discuss that or any other details whatsoever about him without his consent. He would, if alive, be an adult with the right to disappear. The police wouldn’t necessarily even disclose anything to his family without his consent.

This is just speculation, however it is a point to consider.

 

[Goulangou]

Also, even if the police did not know of his whereabouts (and of course they were appealing for information for many years) but had intelligence that he is still alive, the same law would apply, the same anonimity and the police in the U.K. are very careful about that.

 

[emem1138]

The police have probably always kept some information private even from the family. They have that right and if things go to court that the police and prosecutor do not want thrown our for example--but this evidence was flashed all over the internet and back again--it is useless and jeopardizes any conviction they would be trying to get--and if in this case--I don't even want to think of the what the possible alleged crimes.

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