UK UK - Andrew Gosden, 14, Doncaster, South Yorks, 14 Sept 2007

[ckn120]

When Andrew disappeared there was also a Prince concert tour in London. In fact, there was one the day before the disappearance, the next was Sunday the 16th.

 

[Kitkat28]

I just don’t see why Andrew would have any reason to “run away” to see a concert. His dad was quite happy to share his musical interests and accompany him to gigs, evidenced by Mr G taking A to a Muse concert.

In my experience, the vast majority of (decent) parents of tweens and young teens happily take them to all sorts of concerts and events that they themselves might not exactly enjoy, just so their kids can see their favourite bands or idols.

 

[Aluev]

I just don’t see why Andrew would have any reason to “run away” to see a concert. His dad was quite happy to share his musical interests and accompany him to gigs, evidenced by Mr G taking A to a Muse concert.

In my experience, the vast majority of (decent) parents of tweens and young teens happily take them to all sorts of concerts and events that they themselves might not exactly enjoy, just so their kids can see their favourite bands or idols.

At age 14 there is a transition happening towards adolescence. He didn't seem very sociable but I can think of a reason for a "good boy" starting to get secretive because you can't always have your parents involved in all aspects of your life. It seems plausible to me that he could have been planning to meet someone of romantic interest to him, a "date"!

My brother was like that. He was the "good" boy, but the things he did in secret... His character was and still is like that. He just doesn't want other people involved in his affairs. It seems silly but that's the way he is.

 

[Kitkat28]

Oh yes I understand that. My (now adult) children treat discussion of what they had for breakfast like I’m asking them to break the Official Secrets Act, and always have done! I still feel like if they’d ever sneaked off it would have been to do something they knew or felt like I wouldn’t entirely approve of rather than something that was quite a normal family event.

 

[Officer Dibble]

Just seen this photo. I thought this was a distinct possibility this was Andrew, but after a lot of consideration I have come to the conclusion it is probably not. My reasoning is that the "Andrew" figure appears to me to have a band of some kind on their right wrist; a watch or bangle, whereas if you check the CCTV footage Andrew has a watch on his left wrist, and nothing on his right arm.
Great idea though to look through old photos.

Also surprised by the revelation that the GaT programme was the summer before. Not sure why that was not known before. It seemed plausible that the origins for Andrew's disappearance lay there. It is still not impossible. My own son still keeps in touch with an older boy who was a helper on a summer camp he attended several years ago. But a lot less likely.

Regarding Andrew walking home. I have wondered if rather than avoiding bullies or meeting someone, he was timing how long it took him, seeing if anyone at home noticed he was later getting in, how soon before he was missed, in preparation for his outing.

The band could have broken. I had a beloved bracelet break off my wrist in London and it was never seen again. If you had photographed me at the beginning of my journey I would have had it on. Part way through my journey I would not have had it on.

 

[Deathsgrandaughter]

The band could have broken. I had a beloved bracelet break off my wrist in London and it was never seen again. If you had photographed me at the beginning of my journey I would have had it on. Part way through my journey I would not have had it on.

True, but it seems less likely that not only did the band break, it was replaced by one on the other wrist. I'm inclined to think the photo is of a man and a woman, not a man and a boy.

 

[Inspector Evans]

Hello all!

Been on the Claudia Lawrence thread for last 4-5 months but decided to take a break from it.

Saw this was a U.K missing person but didn't recognize the name so clicked on the thread and instantly recognized Andrew from his picture.

His image is on posters dotted around U.K transport hubs and think a few years back it was put on milk cartons so it's been put out there. Covered on TV aswell as already mentioned on this thread (I'm on page 15 atm).

It appears to me given it was a Friday he certainly went away for the weekend. I'd say the bullying option at school could've been a factor but to me would make it more likely he'd bunk off school at the start of the week if it really was getting to him badly.

It's interesting looking at him at XC in a Slipknot short sleeve shirt. My hunch is he wanted to go to a gig playing in London either that night or over the weekend. Can't rememeber from reading that now whether Slipknot were playing but think a few others of that genre were probably playing. Brixton Academy and you've also got 02 academy at Islington which wasn't far and also Koko in Camden which is very walkable from Kings cross.

Plenty of options and I think that's a strong lead as when you go to a gig many people will be dressed in a short sleeved band shirt (dosen't have to be the one playing).

I presume he went to gigs around Doncaster given Leeds and Sheffield are only short 20 minute train trips, did he go mainly with his Dad or other people?

Can only think someone he vaguely knew got in touch offering him tickets/bed for the night or weekend and then things went wrong from there on for whatever reason.

I'm not sure he'd have got in a taxi straight away. Plenty of times I've got off at Kings Cross from a day trip to Cambridge and to get back to Birmingham (where I live) you walk along the Euston road to London Euston station. Between the two is the British Library so for a lad who liked museums that's a place he could've spent an hour or two before meeting up with whoever.

One other thing that's surprised me reading through first 15 pages is lack of info on this family/distant relatives just outside London. No information on what their relationship was like with the Gosden family and did Andrew personally have a way of contacting them.

I doubt it would've been an official form of communication as surely someone in that family would've raised concern at him missing school on the Friday and got in touch with his family (unless Andrew had told him it was a teacher training day and his family had given him the o.k to travel down but I don't see that as being possible).

More likely a discreet form of communication between him and one of the members who had a dark motive. I presume he had a mobile phone given he was 14 and I assume that went missing in his rucksack along with his PSP.

Either that or that weekend he went to the gig, tried to get in and either befriended an individual or group who saw he was a vulnerable young person 200 miles away from home and again things took a dark turn.

Those are just my thoughts but it's a very odd and sad case. I started Uni a week later and graduated over 10 years ago now so it's a very long time ago with very little leads.

Will read the 30 other pages to see if other theories come up but those seem the most logical to me that he met up someone he knew or was promising him gig tickets and something went wrong.

 

[ckn120]

On September 22, 2007, the Telegraph published an article with statements from Kevin Gosden raising the Reginald Perrin show as the possible cause of his disappearance. Currently the article is paid, but you can read it for free in its cache version. Reggie Perrin 'inspired' missing teenager

Reggie Perrin 'inspired' missing teenager

The father of a teenager who vanished from home a week ago appealed for him to get in touch.

Kevin Gosden said his son Andrew, 14, was inspired by the television comedy The Fall And Rise Of Reginald Perrin, about a middle-aged man who fakes his own death and reinvents himself.

"Maybe I should never have shown him Reggie Perrin but he really likes comedy stuff, he is really witty," said Mr Gosden, 41.

"He has watched it and always found it funny. It is one of the comedies he likes to quote at home."

Andrew disappeared on Sept 14 after failing to turn up at school in Doncaster, South Yorks.

The GCSE student took more than £200 from his bank account and was seen on a train to London, where there have been various possible sightings of him.

South Yorkshire Police appealed for help in tracing the youngster. Mr Gosden, a speech and language therapist, of Balby, Doncaster, said he was baffled by Andrew's disappearance.

"My best guess is that he got back to school and thought: 'This is dull. I'll go and do something exciting'," he said.

Andrew is 5ft 3in, of slim build with straight brown hair. He is believed to be wearing a black top, jeans and trainers.

 

[Fantastic]

I'm convinced he was using his PSP with custom firmware and an IRC client to send and receive messages. I'm not an expert on PSP consoles and custom software, but a quick search shows an IRC app for custom PSP was available from June 2006: Downloads - PSP - PSP Brew - PSP Homebrew, PSP Saved Games, PSP Downloads

The other giveaway clue, (I was a techy teen myself) was he had no interest in his sister's laptop. The question is why? I believe the answer is he had everything he needed already on his PSP.

 

[Inspector Evans]

Just read page 15-30. Have to say that youtube footage of young people meeting up in London parks in September 2007 was interesting viewing, was it confirmed that was actually on the very weekend he went missing?

Seems a few thought a person in white t shirt might've been him but far too podgy. However I noticed someone sitting on a bench and also in back row of group photograph who matches the description well, glasses, dark hair etc.

But then you think it's just a group of teenagers and nothing really sinster and surely given the story then broke the next week someone from the group would've come forward if it really was him e.g. talked and noticed a strong Yorkshire accent.

Just thinking back to my own school days around 2006. MSN was certainly the go to chat function between my friend group then Myspace started around that time and Facebook was only launched early 2007. Also a good friend of mine started using this chat room (can't remember the name) but school quickly monitored it and blocked the site. Certainly in those times chat rooms would certainly be a form of communication for someone in his age range.

Interesting he had two phones and lost them or something and told his Dad he didn't want another. Given he just disappeared into thin air I'd take anything he said to his family in the weeks leading up to him going missing with large pinch of salt. Could well be he was covering his tracks or advised to by whoever he was in contact with. Seems more likely this or a chat room was where the communication took place than on the PSP.

 

[ckn120]

Just read page 15-30. Have to say that youtube footage of young people meeting up in London parks in September 2007 was interesting viewing, was it confirmed that was actually on the very weekend he went missing?

Yes, some attendees of the event published it days later on their respective channels with the date:

 

[Sarahlou]

Hello all!

Been on the Claudia Lawrence thread for last 4-5 months but decided to take a break from it.

Saw this was a U.K missing person but didn't recognize the name so clicked on the thread and instantly recognized Andrew from his picture.

His image is on posters dotted around U.K transport hubs and think a few years back it was put on milk cartons so it's been put out there. Covered on TV aswell as already mentioned on this thread (I'm on page 15 atm).

It appears to me given it was a Friday he certainly went away for the weekend. I'd say the bullying option at school could've been a factor but to me would make it more likely he'd bunk off school at the start of the week if it really was getting to him badly.

It's interesting looking at him at XC in a Slipknot short sleeve shirt. My hunch is he wanted to go to a gig playing in London either that night or over the weekend. Can't rememeber from reading that now whether Slipknot were playing but think a few others of that genre were probably playing. Brixton Academy and you've also got 02 academy at Islington which wasn't far and also Koko in Camden which is very walkable from Kings cross.

Plenty of options and I think that's a strong lead as when you go to a gig many people will be dressed in a short sleeved band shirt (dosen't have to be the one playing).

I presume he went to gigs around Doncaster given Leeds and Sheffield are only short 20 minute train trips, did he go mainly with his Dad or other people?

Can only think someone he vaguely knew got in touch offering him tickets/bed for the night or weekend and then things went wrong from there on for whatever reason.

I'm not sure he'd have got in a taxi straight away. Plenty of times I've got off at Kings Cross from a day trip to Cambridge and to get back to Birmingham (where I live) you walk along the Euston road to London Euston station. Between the two is the British Library so for a lad who liked museums that's a place he could've spent an hour or two before meeting up with whoever.

One other thing that's surprised me reading through first 15 pages is lack of info on this family/distant relatives just outside London. No information on what their relationship was like with the Gosden family and did Andrew personally have a way of contacting them.

I doubt it would've been an official form of communication as surely someone in that family would've raised concern at him missing school on the Friday and got in touch with his family (unless Andrew had told him it was a teacher training day and his family had given him the o.k to travel down but I don't see that as being possible).

More likely a discreet form of communication between him and one of the members who had a dark motive. I presume he had a mobile phone given he was 14 and I assume that went missing in his rucksack along with his PSP.

Either that or that weekend he went to the gig, tried to get in and either befriended an individual or group who saw he was a vulnerable young person 200 miles away from home and again things took a dark turn.

Those are just my thoughts but it's a very odd and sad case. I started Uni a week later and graduated over 10 years ago now so it's a very long time ago with very little leads.

Will read the 30 other pages to see if other theories come up but those seem the most logical to me that he met up someone he knew or was promising him gig tickets and something went wrong.

Welcome to the thread! Some good points. I just wanted to point out he didn't have a mobile phone. He had one at one point and lost it and didn't get a new one.

Edit- sorry, I wrote this before seeing your next post!

 

[Inspector Evans]

Yes, some attendees of the event published it days later on their respective channels with the date:

Very interesting. Was this a meet up of gamers or other stuff as with his PSP use it's something you could see that would attracted him to London if he knew it was on. Especially when you see the age range and individuals looking similar to him in the footage. Would be a good chance to meet new people who share his interests compared to those in school at Donny where he seemed to be an outsider and potential to make contacts if he really was planning to start a new life.

Still wouldn't have it as my number one opinion for what happened but would surely have been a good lead for police to investigate if they'd known about this and interviewed some of the attendees in the weeks after he went missing.

 

[ckn120]

Very interesting. Was this a meet up of gamers or other stuff as with his PSP use it's something you could see that would attracted him to London if he knew it was on.

It was a meeting between youtubers, at that time apparently that was already a tradition, as they had also held one in February of that year: https://www.youtube.com/watchv=t0h8nJssdcE&t=11s&ab_channel=flexiblefilms

In this video from the September 15 meeting, a recent comment from a user points out that there was a forum where they had been organizing everything and that they had planned to meet in King Cross, some were supposedly even planning to go without telling their parents. Although I have looked for it and I have not found anything of the supposed forum. Anyway, those videos were sent to Kevin and he ruled out that his son was one of those who appear there.

 

[Inspector Evans]

You'd be surprised. I used to think the same until I saw programmes on the subject and some interviews with police officers who specialise in that area a few years ago. It was truly frightening how fast some of these predators can gain the victims trust.

His family claim he wasn't but I believe Andrew was bullied. I went to school in the same time period and a kid that looked like Andrew did, listened to the music he did and was clever would have been target number 1 for bullies. Stopping using the bus is another thing that bullied kids do which adds more weight to that theory.

Kids who are maybe bullied with few friends are prime targets for these people and it's much easier to gain their trust.

Yep that was the whole era of emo music with My Chemical Romance very big in that time. Just a few weeks before Andrew went missing you had the tragic case of Sophie Lancaster being killed in the north of England:

Robert Maltby on the murder of his girlfriend Sophie Lancaster: ‘The goth thing was an oversimplification'

 

[Officer Dibble]

One other thing that's surprised me reading through first 15 pages is lack of info on this family/distant relatives just outside London. No information on what their relationship was like with the Gosden family and did Andrew personally have a way of contacting them..

SMB. (snipped by me).

Yes I was thinking the very same thing this week. I was wondering why we never see/hear anything about this 'family' in London thing and I wanted to know more.

 

[Kitkat28]

SMB. (snipped by me).

Yes I was thinking the very same thing this week. I was wondering why we never see/hear anything about this 'family' in London thing and I wanted to know more.

At a best guess because Andrew never got as far as contacting them so they weren’t considered “relevant” so to speak. In the interview with Kevin he said that (paraphrased) Andrew had relatives in London who he could have gone to visit and asked for a lift home if he needed one, which I took to mean that he hadn’t actually planned to meet up with any family members.

I think it was maybe a kind of throwaway comment though. My kids have an uncle in London, and if they happened to be there and happened to get in some kind of trouble I would hope they would contact him as he would obviously drop everything to help them. On the other hand, they wouldn’t have gone there specifically to visit him IYSWIM.

 

[Fantastic]

Yes, it seems unusual there's little mention of those relatives who lived in or near London. I think I remember reading about an uncle who lived in London, who Andrew sometimes visited, although I might be mistaken. I assume Andrew's relatives in and around London have kept a low profile deliberately.

 

[Deathsgrandaughter]

I thought I remembered a grandparent around London? I am sure I read somewhere that Kevin said that Andrew had the chance to stay in London over the summer with relatives, but had turned it down, which made his solo trip to London more perplexing.
I just hope the Reggie Perrin connection is a real one. It gives hope that Andrew is out there somewhere - though Perrin did come back iirc.

 

[JG123]

I looked at that photo for a while wondering how everyone was able to pick out details, until I realised it was the person on the left, not the person at the back you were talking about:

https://i.imgur.com/nR3bzWS.jpg

The person on the left is quite clearly a woman.