Found Deceased UK - Anthony Knott, 33, last seen at a pub in Lewes, Sussex, 20 Dec 2019 #2

[Ruthbullock]

turned his phone off.....was thinking about this and i know nobody else agrees with me but it is likely he turned it off so cannot be tracked on the find my friends app (if he and his fiancee used it)

i believe he went with someone, and didnt want to be tracked. or he went off alone, again,didnt want to be found

He didn’t have location notifications turned on, so no find my friends- his partner stated that right at the beginning. Whilst I could read something into that, it also could be that he didn’t want her tracking him whilst at work and knowing when he left the station in case it would worry her, or purely so that she doesn’t have access to where they are going on the advice of his employer.

 

[Sarahlou]

turned his phone off.....was thinking about this and i know nobody else agrees with me but it is likely he turned it off so cannot be tracked on the find my friends app (if he and his fiancee used it)

i believe he went with someone, and didnt want to be tracked. or he went off alone, again,didnt want to be found

I agree with you that I think he turned it off and didn't want to be contacted.

 

[rosesfromangels]

I agree with you that I think he turned it off and didn't want to be contacted.

This is an interesting theory. Where I live, a divorced man with four small children would be turning over the vast majority of his pay to his ex-wife, if she had custody. While drastic, this could be one explanation for a man to do a disappearing act. He doesn’t seem to be they type, but who knows.
My prevailing theory is that he ended up in the water.

amateur opinion and speculation

 

[guiser]

Hi Elainera, thanks for the welcome!

I cannot rule out entirely that at some point later in the evening AK ended up at that spot but I find it very unlikely that he would have any need to have gone in that direction. The last evidence we have of his movements is the cctv of him walking south down Market Street at 19.41. This is in the opposite direction of North Street and the other locations of the photos guiser posted. Instead, it is likely he would have ended up at the war memorial on the High Street (I'll expand on why I think this likely later) and then, alas, we don't know where he went.

If he had turned right into the High Street and carried on walking, he would be back in familiar territory and likely recognise the junction with Station Street (where he'd been in The Lansdown Arms and the Royal Oak) and Fisher Street (The Lamb). If he'd carried on past this junction, his search for cigarettes would have been fruitless as, to my knowledge, there would have been no shop that sells them still open on that stretch (the only newsagent shuts at 6.30).

If he had turned left, downhill towards the main shopping area of Cliffe High Street, it is almost certain he would have found Waitrose and got his cigarettes, enabling him to then retrace his steps back to the Lamb or Elly to rejoin the group. There would be no reason for him to go beyond Waitrose to the river. Obviously this is entirely based on the 'looking for cigarettes' scenario.

Coming back to the Market Street cctv. I believe that he would have ended up at the war memorial because, from the cctv, it seems he has no intention of crossing the road to turn up Market Lane back to the Lamb. (Just a reminder: the Police post of this footage said he was heading back in the direction of The Lamb, which I thought was misleading). The cctv camera on the barber shop is almost directly opposite the entrance of Market Lane, yet in the footage AK is walking straight forward, no turn of the head to look over the road. So unless he made a (rather unnatural) 90 degree right turn straight after the camera, it is unlikely he went this way and would have instead ended up the war memorial. This is understandable as being unfamiliar with the town, it is unlikely he would have realised Market Lane took him back up the corner of The Lamb. You can check this out on Street View to see what I mean. Also, I seem to recall reading that there was cctv that had been checked on some scaffolding in Market Lane which contained no sight of AK, but can't be sure where I read this.

My general impression, from the evidence is that there is no reason for AK to have gone anywhere near the river but equally the fact that he has not been found on dry land in thorough searches of the town means we cannot rule it out.

As mentioned in my previous post, I'm not convinced he would have seen Waitrose from the bottom of School Hill unless he walked along past Subway.

However, if he'd found himself at the War Memorial and turned right, he'd have gone past Barclays Bank and the Crown Court.
I struggle to believe they haven't got CCTV.
If he'd turned left he'd have passed the Halifax and Nat West banks, as well as the huge legal firm that seems to have taken over that side of School Hill, and according to the Lewes Present facebook page, footage from Twinkle Twinkle has been sent to the family.

So that basically leaves St Nicholas Lane, which has nothing to suggest it might be a good plav=ce to try to buy cigarettes.

So whatever the reason he left the pub, I still feel he ended up not getting as far as the High Street/School Hill and somehow moved away from the centre.

 

[Rosegold68]

He didn’t have location notifications turned on, so no find my friends- his partner stated that right at the beginning. Whilst I could read something into that, it also could be that he didn’t want her tracking him whilst at work and knowing when he left the station in case it would worry her, or purely so that she doesn’t have access to where they are going on the advice of his employer.

if he's decided to do a disappearing act he would lie about so much.....location notifications could be turned on without her knowledge......did she physically check his phone then?

 

[SOMETHINGWILLDO]

I agree with you that I think he turned it off and didn't want to be contacted.

I believe that is the case too. Which would explain why the police haven’t been putting a massive push on finding him after the initial area searches.
For talks sake, and this is only talks sake, say he has an argument with his partner, we’ve all had them, and she’s going on and on and not giving him a minutes peace, you would switch your phone off so you wouldn’t be tortured - been there, done that. Suddenly, after that, he doesn’t come home. You tell the police everything that happened. They search the immediate surrounding areas and with no sign of him, call it off and assume he’s not home due to the previous situation.

Now, if it was how we have been told, went out, brilliant form, loving life, loving his family life, happy, due home before 2am, nipped out, made a phone call, phone went off and he didn’t come home - that’s suspicious, suspicious enough to warrant searches, suspicious enough to be pushing this to the press on a daily basis making appeals for sightings.

It just doesn’t add up for a police force to take the foot off the pedal as much as they have if it was the latter.

I know the police will be doing work behind the scenes but as a rule of thumb, there should be a lot more pressure around the public for answers when the case took off the ground so fast. JMO.

When I say all this I’m not trying to be disrespectful in any form to the family, I can’t imagine what they’re going through, horrendous. I’m just trying to understand (a) what really happened that night (b) what mindframe he was in, incase that opens up different avenues of where he intended to go and (c) why the police have dropped the urgency

 

[JosieJo]

Regards the photos with facial hair .. someone on social media suggested the idea that it might be worth putting pictures up just in case he was still alive somewhere..I cant imagine how I would react in her shoes but I think I'd likely want to feel I was doing "something" .. to me that's what those photos are ...trying anything...family have previously commented that they are fully aware of what the most likely outcome is ...but that doesn't stop you holding on to any last hope until there is none left

 

[SOMETHINGWILLDO]

Small update:

Lucy has just posted that the CCTV from the train station has been checked and that he definitely didn’t get a train. It has also be clarified that his original plan was to get the train from Lewes to Croydon then get a taxi from Croydon to home.

They’re still waiting on bus CCTV to be checked. Edited: This doesn’t necessarily mean that the bus CCTV hasn’t already been checked by police, it’s just that the family haven’t been made aware of any findings on it.

 

[Elainera]

If he did voluntarily disappear he might have had for example a cap in the inside pocket of his coat which he then put on in order to slip by anyone searching cctv footage.

I don't believe though that it was voluntarily.

 

[SOMETHINGWILLDO]

Once last question before I sign off.
Anthony isn’t listed on this website, the website states that you don’t have to wait 24 hours before reporting to them that someone is missing. Apart from the obvious (that they haven’t been contacted to do so), what reasons would this website not list someone?
Missing persons - National Crime Agency

 

[Ruthbullock]

Small update:

Lucy has just posted that the CCTV from the train station has been checked and that he definitely didn’t get a train. It has also be clarified that his original plan was to get the train from Lewes to Croydon then get a taxi from Croydon to home.

They’re still waiting on bus CCTV to be checked. Edited: This doesn’t necessarily mean that the bus CCTV hasn’t already been checked by police, it’s just that the family haven’t been made aware of any findings on it.

Found the conversation- interesting discussion that he might have got the bus to Brighton as it would be easier to then get home. The bus stop is very close to the war memorial and they run until late.

 

[Wowno17]

Wow brilliant thinking. That is weird, I have always thought it was an accident of some kind but this point you have made has made me think again!

Why wouldn't he be on there?! Surely the family would think to do this. I'm confused now.

Once last question before I sign off.
Anthony isn’t listed on this website, the website states that you don’t have to wait 24 hours before reporting to them that someone is missing. Apart from the obvious (that they haven’t been contacted to do so), what reasons would this website not list someone?
Missing persons - National Crime Agency

 

[ZsaZsa]

llock, post: 15693006, member: 178674"]Found the conversation- interesting discussion that he might have got the bus to Brighton as it would be easier to then get home. The bus stop is very close to the war memorial and they run until late.[/QUOTE]

Surely he would have told at least one member of his group that he was leaving to go home? We haven't heard anything about his state of mind other than he was a bit anxious,it seems odd he would just take off without saying something. If he was so drunk and incapable he got lost and ended up in the river, surely at least one of his group would have commented on that by now....

 

[SheCarrot]

I'm a bit confused as to one of the photos of AK which has been photoshopped to add more facial hair...
What is the thinking behind this? He looks to be clean shaven on CCTV.
Is his family thinking he is still alive?

bbm
(His fiancé went looking for older/other photos where he had facial hair , so they're not photoshopped .
It was suggested to her by a MOP on the Lewes P site that it might be an idea to have pics of him unshaven .
I hadn't seen the family themselves mention beforehand that it could be useful or necessary) .

My personal feeling is that , no , they do not think Anthony is still alive . I'm not sure what has been the catalyst for the change in focus/feeling about the case - reading/listening back over A's fiance's interviews , things have gone from a very strong belief that the Police were focusing on the water aspect when she thought there was more to it , even suggesting he may have been taken -- (Apols) The Sun(27/12)
Missing firefighter's devastated fiancee says he had 'every intention of coming home'
" The days are getting on now , they need to pull their finger out and start from the beginning."
-- to now (possibly connected to intelligence we'd not be privvy to , of course) the police's physical search being called off but investigation ongoing and active and the family pretty much mirroring the police's statements -- no fury or protests by them about 'downscaling' , though , which families do do (quite understandably) , so why would that be ?

So right now , I have absolutely no idea what the family are thinking or what avenue might be pursuing .

What's the view , generally , of the involvement of private detectives in cases such as Anthony's (as the family said they may look to do)? I don't have enough specific knowledge on these matters , but is the suggestion of third party investigation a little premature given the matter is still active , or is it something that's often undertaken by families ?

 

[Ruthbullock]

Wow brilliant thinking. That is weird, I have always thought it was an accident of some kind but this point you have made has made me think again!

Why wouldn't he be on there?! Surely the family would think to do this. I'm confused now.

I think the list is of found bodies, rather than missing people.

 

[Ruthbullock]

bbm
(His fiancé went looking for older/other photos where he had facial hair , so they're not photoshopped .
It was suggested to her by a MOP on the Lewes P site that it might be an idea to have pics of him unshaven .
I hadn't seen the family themselves mention beforehand that it could be useful or necessary) .

My personal feeling is that , no , they do not think Anthony is still alive . I'm not sure what has been the catalyst for the change in focus/feeling about the case - reading/listening back over A's fiance's interviews , things have gone from a very strong belief that the Police were focusing on the water aspect when she thought there was more to it , even suggesting he may have been taken -- (Apols) The Sun(27/12)
Missing firefighter's devastated fiancee says he had 'every intention of coming home'
" The days are getting on now , they need to pull their finger out and start from the beginning."
-- to now (possibly connected to intelligence we'd not be privvy to , of course) the police's physical search being called off but investigation ongoing and active and the family pretty much mirroring the police's statements -- no fury or protests by them about 'downscaling' , though , which families do do (quite understandably) , so why would that be ?

So right now , I have absolutely no idea what the family are thinking or what avenue might be pursuing .

What's the view , generally , of the involvement of private detectives in cases such as Anthony's (as the family said they may look to do)? I don't have enough specific knowledge on these matters , but is the suggestion of third party investigation a little premature given the matter is still active , or is it something that's often undertaken by families ?

She clearly states one has been photoshopped to add more hair on her status, it was shared on Lewes present and mentioned in the news articles.

 

[SheCarrot]

She clearly states one has been photoshopped to add more hair on her status, it was shared on Lewes present and mentioned in the news articles.

Sorry ! Did not spot the word .

 

[HongKongPhooey]

bbm
(His fiancé went looking for older/other photos where he had facial hair , so they're not photoshopped .
It was suggested to her by a MOP on the Lewes P site that it might be an idea to have pics of him unshaven .
I hadn't seen the family themselves mention beforehand that it could be useful or necessary) .

My personal feeling is that , no , they do not think Anthony is still alive . I'm not sure what has been the catalyst for the change in focus/feeling about the case - reading/listening back over A's fiance's interviews , things have gone from a very strong belief that the Police were focusing on the water aspect when she thought there was more to it , even suggesting he may have been taken -- (Apols) The Sun(27/12)
Missing firefighter's devastated fiancee says he had 'every intention of coming home'
" The days are getting on now , they need to pull their finger out and start from the beginning."
-- to now (possibly connected to intelligence we'd not be privvy to , of course) the police's physical search being called off but investigation ongoing and active and the family pretty much mirroring the police's statements -- no fury or protests by them about 'downscaling' , though , which families do do (quite understandably) , so why would that be ?

So right now , I have absolutely no idea what the family are thinking or what avenue might be pursuing .

What's the view , generally , of the involvement of private detectives in cases such as Anthony's (as the family said they may look to do)? I don't have enough specific knowledge on these matters , but is the suggestion of third party investigation a little premature given the matter is still active , or is it something that's often undertaken by families ?

Re the PI line of thought, I know this is a very personal viewpoint but I honestly find it quite an insult to the police and SSAR. They will have less access to phone records, cctv, witnesses, less technical search abilty and knowledge of tides etc. And they cost a fortune and you have no idea how credible they are, let alone any guarantee of success.

I can understand a desperate family wanting to do eveything they can, but I feel they should focus on the police operation and use available funds to support the young family.

 

[SheCarrot]

I think the list is of found bodies, rather than missing people.

Likewise . I thought it was unidentified deceased .

 

[Jules77]

I’ve just been reading this guys missing page on fb and also the go fund me page and it seems a few people are thinking something s not right with this whole situation