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

[Tortoise]

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I think they could have worked on a better representation of his eyes because the prescription he was wearing was strong enough to enlarge the appearance of his eyes. It is a feature that can have quite a visual impact because it is so distinctive IMO.

 

[Tortoise]

Only the taking of his key and not taking anything warm to wear makes me think he intended on going back at some point.

I think he looks like he is expecting to see someone as he leaves the station, so an arranged meeting.

 

[Tortoise]

Maybe someone told him they had tickets for a gig to lure him down there. Told him to bring cash to pay them back and promised him a lift back home.

I'd look at any friends with older visitors over the summer. I think. Did he have a mobile phone?

 

[Alyce]

RE the mobile. His father said that Andrew had had phones ( two ) but had lost them and apparently told his father he did not want a new one.
One theory was that perhaps the phones had been taken from him (bullies ) ...hence him not wanting another one, after losing two.

 

[hayaletcatcher]

How missing Doncaster teen Andrew Gosden could look now as 25th birthday approaches

 

[dotr]

How missing Doncaster teen Andrew Gosden could look now as 25th birthday approaches

 

[hayaletcatcher]

Both photos are now public ahead of Andrews 25th birthday tomorrow

 

[MelmothTheLost]

Generation Why are covering Andrew in their latest podcast (episode 288):

The Generation Why Podcast

 

[nacentaeons]

I thought the Generation Why podcast was pretty poor. There were a couple of factual errors that stood out. (Additionally, how hard is it to pronounce SikTh?) The only good podcast on Andrew I have found was the one by Thin Air. I think Kevin is of a similar opinion.

 

[JamesSydney24]

Hi guys,

VERY new member here.

My question is - Andrew's father (who appears to be a very loving and caring man) stated there has been information suggesting his son could be in Lincolnshire?

He stated someone who believed they may have had a conversation with Andrew online. The conversation dropped a number of clues - but nothing 100% conclusive.

My question is:

a) On what online app did this (man?) speak to Andrew on?
b) What was the conversation about?

Thanks everyone

James

 

[dotr]

Hi guys,

VERY new member here.

My question is - Andrew's father (who appears to be a very loving and caring man) stated there has been information suggesting his son could be in Lincolnshire?

He stated someone who believed they may have had a conversation with Andrew online. The conversation dropped a number of clues - but nothing 100% conclusive.

My question is:

a) On what online app did this (man?) speak to Andrew on?
b) What was the conversation about?

Thanks everyone

James

Welcome to Ws JamesSydney24, delighted to have you here, hoping another poster can answer your questions!

 

[Al Ka]

<modsnip: snipped quote>

I have actually read <modsnip> in MSM link somewhere. Person who chatted and contacted Andrew's dad was located and even helped walking with them around shops in Lincolnshire in search for that other chatter. Yes, that other person, allegedly Andrew, who chatted, was not located.

 

[Al Ka]

Not sure if it is the same link I saw previously but here it is:
===
Now his family have been searching around Lincoln after a person using a nickname of Andrew's from childhood as a username posted on a chatroom a few months ago to say he needed £200 for rent.

The person messaging from that account said he had left home at 14 and had no bank account.

And he said he was working cash in hand in Lincoln.
---
Family of boy missing 10 years search Lincoln after report he's here

 

[shadowdancer]

Not sure if it is the same link I saw previously but here it is:
===
Now his family have been searching around Lincoln after a person using a nickname of Andrew's from childhood as a username posted on a chatroom a few months ago to say he needed £200 for rent.

The person messaging from that account said he had left home at 14 and had no bank account.

And he said he was working cash in hand in Lincoln.
---
Family of boy missing 10 years search Lincoln after report he's here

I normally assume that most missing people are deceased. Not with Andrew though.

I just have this feeling that he is out there, alive. Possibly even reading this forum and other online discussions about his case.

I wish he could let his parents anonymously know that he is alive and just doesn't wish to be in contact with them at this time. Yes, this would be heartbreaking, but least they would know that he is safe and well.

That said, I can quite understand why this would seem so daunting to him. He would be worried about all sorts of things including the reaction of his family, and even the fact that working cash in hand might land him in trouble for not paying taxes etc. Andrew might even be using fake or stolen identity documents.

 

[JamesSydney24]

I'm with you.

I can say with almost certainty that he is alive. I believe it.

 

[JamesSydney24]

sorry...do we also at least know the shop/cafe Andrew was supposedly working in?

By knowing the SHOP/CAFE and knowing the FORUM he was in talking to the other man would i think narrow things down considerably, no?

 

[DarkerB]

I think it's unlikely he's alive but would love to be wrong. I would like to think he's living a quiet life somewhere but he was so young when he left. I just can't see how he would have survived. He would have needed significant help from someone and it's a long time to fly under the radar. It's possible of course.

 

[JamesSydney24]

What makes me think he is alive is in the recent TWO MONTHS the police have stepped up their search for him considerably AND Kevin received that info from a young man about dialogue being made with Andrew - dialogue that seemed to prove it was OUR Andrew. Also the fact that he has been spotted around town a lot recently working at cafes etc.

It's such an odd case.

 

[dotr]

Had Andrew in mind when i read about all the grooming of young people for the purpose of sexual trafficking. Mostly girls have been targeted, but apparently boys get caught in that vicious trap as well.
The perps tend to be in the restaurant or taxi business and i could picture Andrew heading off to a show or whatever, then scooped up if he stopped to eat or was offered a ride home.
imo, speculation.
UK pedophile gang stripped of citizenship, deportation next

 

[ascodders]

To follow on from Hayaletcatchers post (thanks Hay!) further down Kevin elaborates:

Basically it was a conversation asking for help with £200 rent after a partner had walked out. The handle was andyroo - not many people know we called him roo for years as he is little and bouncy. He was offered help but couldn't provide bank details as he had no account because "I left home when I was 14". When asked if there were problems, he said no, "just felt like it". The chat was brief as a friend came round and bailed him out mid conversation. The police tried everything on the chat provider but they could not trace it back. But those bits of info seemed a bit too close not to try following up.

Kevin Gosden

Very interesting indeed. I so hope he's alive.

I've always been very interested in cases that involve missing people. I learned about Andrews disappearance a couple years ago through a youtube video. I was very interested in his story because most people who run away, if that is what he did, are older and are escaping financial problems or family issues. The fact that if a 14 year old boy ran away and could be alive today is insane to me.

I didn't read up on the case that much after but I recently just read a Vice article two days ago and once again I'm obsessed with the case again. And this time I read about the chat with the username, Andyroo. And, learning that roo was a nickname used for him as a child and the fact that this person said he left home at 14 makes me believe that this user was most definitely him. I wish they had released the website that this person was talking on. I really want to know what website it was or the year they chatted with this person. Could it have been Myspace? or just a random chatting site? I'm very curious and it's insane to me that your friend had contacted the helpline and they didn't do much! That is so upsetting to me, and I wish more people in the Lincoln area were on lookout constantly. I hope and I actually believe that Andrew is still alive, I hope he returns home and tells his story on why he left.