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

[guiser]

Long post klaxon!

I'm not totally dismissing the suggestions of nefarious reasons for him leaving the Lamb, but I'm sticking with the simple explanation that he went for cigarettes or similar.

I've looked out an old laptop and found some photos I took in Lewes about three or four years ago.

In an earlier post I explained that I thought he might have caught a glimpse of the Tesco clock when he walked towards the Elephant and Castle or back to Market Street, and explained why I don't think he would have even known that Waitrose existed. If you were looking down West Street (A2029) you wouldn't see it. Pic 1 shows the view of Waitrose from much closer (probably taken from East Street).

On the other hand, if he'd seen Tesco from his trip to the Elly and headed down North Street towards it, not realising there was a river in between, Pic 2 is the view from just back from the west bank of the river ( and don't forget it was pitch dark by the time he left the pub).

If he'd gone down the road onto the now mostly disused Phoenix Industrial Estate, this is where he'd have found himself. Much has been made of the path along the east bank on the Tesco side, and Pic 3 is a view of the opposite west bank. There's a wall for sure, but not much of a wall and Pic4 shows how easy it was to hop over it for recreational purposes. The travellers vehicles are no longer there as the site awaits redevelopment.

There are further access points from North Street to the river, including behind the fire station, and there's also the disputed cctv footage from the petrol station close by.

Would really appreciate the opinion of locals on this.

 

[Ruthbullock]

Good evening everyone.

Following some requests for further information about our searches (specifically last night and today), we would like to provide you with a little more detail about our social media posts and policy.

As you may know, we assist Sussex police in searching for vulnerable missing people. We do not disclose details or discuss anything beyond what the police have decided to make public. As has been the case this weekend, further information has not been released.

If there is any information that the police think will assist the process, then the police will release it. Otherwise, the privacy of the missing person and their family, as well as the possible need for confidentiality of police operations, is paramount.

Often, as was the case last night and today, we will be busy focusing on the search, and are unable to reply to social media comments until much later.

Thank you for your understanding, and for your continued support of our charity.
Copied from
Sussex search and rescue

 

[motherofdaughters]

Well, that clears that up then...

I completely understand why they don't release the info and totally 'get' it.
From a purely selfish POV, I find it so frustrating.

 

[Jules77]

I read on here somewhere that he was on the phone to a friend giving him directions.. so it makes sense if he was walking up and down the road shortly after to possibly look out for or to find him. A car slowed right down so was this his friend? And has this person come forward?

 

[Siriusly]

Having not looked at maps etc I'm not sure how close to the river he was or could have been but as a loose example of how easy things can sometimes happen.
A young boy from my home time while on holiday went to take a shortcut to his hotel, hopped over what looked like a very tiny wall which actually had a very substantial drop on the other side, he fell to his death.

I'm aware it's a totally different scenario but in a place you don't know and in the dark things can look totally different and catch you unawares.
Could he have seen somewhere in the distance and thought, if I just hop over here and go that way it will take me there?

 

[Elainera]

Miss Otto said: "In the CCTV footage from outside the Landsdown Arms, he’s just making at a call to his colleague letting them know which pub they are in.

"Apart from a text to me at 4.26pm, his phone isn’t used again to make any calls or texts at all.


'I'm living in a nightmare'

I read on here somewhere that he was on the phone to a friend giving him directions.. so it makes sense if he was walking up and down the road shortly after to possibly look out for or to find him. A car slowed right down so was this his friend? And has this person come forward?

The phone call with his colleague was at least 3 hours before he left the pub though. See the post I quoted above yours, his fiancee said the last call/text from his phone was at 4.26 (text to her), the call with his colleague must have been before that.

 

[guiser]

Having not looked at maps etc I'm not sure how close to the river he was or could have been but as a loose example of how easy things can sometimes happen.
A young boy from my home time while on holiday went to take a shortcut to his hotel, hopped over what looked like a very tiny wall which actually had a very substantial drop on the other side, he fell to his death.

I'm aware it's a totally different scenario but in a place you don't know and in the dark things can look totally different and catch you unawares.
Could he have seen somewhere in the distance and thought, if I just hop over here and go that way it will take me there?

Almost as if he was trying to get to Tesco on a dark and rainy night after being in the pub all afternoon?

And seeing as you mention a small wall..................

 

[Elainera]

Having not looked at maps etc I'm not sure how close to the river he was or could have been but as a loose example of how easy things can sometimes happen.
A young boy from my home time while on holiday went to take a shortcut to his hotel, hopped over what looked like a very tiny wall which actually had a very substantial drop on the other side, he fell to his death.

I'm aware it's a totally different scenario but in a place you don't know and in the dark things can look totally different and catch you unawares.
Could he have seen somewhere in the distance and thought, if I just hop over here and go that way it will take me there?

This happened to me. I was in a location unfamiliar to me, visiting someone. I wanted to cut across what looked like an overgrown field with trees, bushes, weeds ... It was dark. I walked over the field and was completely caught off guard when I suddenly found myself up to my neck in water! There was a small pond which I had not been able to see because it was mostly full of waterplants. Thankfully there were branches from a nearby tree hanging low and I grabbed one and guided myself out. I was ok apart from a bruised ego lol! And my husband had to come and bring me dry clothes

Yes I can see something like that happening to AK. And if there was a current, and it was very cold too, it could turn quickly into a dire situation.

Moo.

 

[Angleterre]

I get the drunk theory- but in the original footage only once ( out of the 4 times, I think that’s correct but is a guesstimate) does he bring a drink outside with him, he also didn’t buy or have a drink at the Lamb. I don’t think he was that drunk personally.

I agree

 

[ZsaZsa]

They went in 4 that we have been told- the article from today that was shared tells us about 3 and previous articles said they then moved to the elephant and castle (it was originally stated at 7.00, then moved to 8.00). It’s a pub crawl they are one after the other map wise. I still think some of the group were already at E&C and that’s why he headed up that way, then decided he needed cigs and kept walking to try and find a local shop, which he may or may not of found and then wandered back. Assuming he wandered and didn’t find a shop, that would explain why he walked back past and took a different route to try and find a shop.

Could he have been looking for an ATM?
It seems they are everywhere, until you need one.

 

[ZsaZsa]

Is anyone on a the FB page? am I right that his fiancé is on it?
Has anyone asked why he left? Or if indeed it’s known?

Yes his fiancee is on FB. No one knows why he left or where he went. His whole family are desperate for any information.

 

[Walker78]

Long post klaxon!

On the other hand, if he'd seen Tesco from his trip to the Elly and headed down North Street towards it, not realising there was a river in between, Pic 2 is the view from just back from the west bank of the river ( and don't forget it was pitch dark by the time he left the pub).

Hi Guiser. I've been following this thread for about a week now but reading your post has prompted me to sign up as it's the first time I've felt I could be of some use.

I'm not a Lewes resident, but live nearby and know the town very well. I'm almost 100% certain that it is not possible to see the Tesco from any point between The Lamb and The Elephant and Castle. Far too many densely packed terraced houses/shops in the way on the higher ground near The Lamb and The Elephant and Castle is some 10m downhill and again, surrounded by buildings and trees. To my knowledge, the closest view across the river to the Tesco in that vicinity is at the junction of North St/Stanley St/Wellington St.

Of course, one of the big mysteries of this case is where AK went between passing The Elly westwards at 19.17 (or 19.19 depending on account, more likely I think as he'd left The Lamb at 19.16) and then passing again eastwards at 19.36. Again, I'm sure there is no point to the west of the Elly where the Tesco is visible, even if he had headed north to the Pells area (far too many trees).

I do agree the most likely explanation for his leaving the group was to search for a cigarette selling shop - the fact that he is not smoking in the 19.19 cctv footage, 3mins after leaving The Lamb would suggest he had run out or was running low. It's a 'mission' I've had to make many times. It's also likely that with his battery running low (phone off at 19.21) he was unable to use Google maps for long enough to know he was going in the worst possible direction for finding a shop. Perhaps, at about 10 mins into the unknown time between 19.19 and 19.36 he asked someone for the nearest shop, hence him heading back in the way he'd come to head for the High Street in order to locate Waitrose? If I were giving a stranger directions, I would not tell them a quicker route down unfamiliar streets where they might get lost, I'd tell them where it was from a location they knew and could easily find.

 

[Siriusly]

This happened to me. I was in a location unfamiliar to me, visiting someone. I wanted to cut across what looked like an overgrown field with trees, bushes, weeds ... It was dark. I walked over the field and was completely caught off guard when I suddenly found myself up to my neck in water! There was a small pond which I had not been able to see because it was mostly full of waterplants. Thankfully there were branches from a nearby tree hanging low and I grabbed one and guided myself out. I was ok apart from a bruised ego lol! And my husband had to come and bring me dry clothes

Yes I can see something like that happening to AK. And if there was a current, and it was very cold too, it could turn quickly into a dire situation.

Moo.

Glad it was nothing worse than a bruised ego and wet clothes, but proves it's easily done.
9 times out of 10 it could be a slight mishap but theres always that one chance things go horribly wrong

 

[Miss_French]

I think (but I'm not positive without checking again) Brighton is on a different line from Lewes though.

No, there are direct trains between Lewes and Brighton (via Falmer) with a journey time of around 17 minutes.

Just happened to be looking at this route on Friday for a journey yesterday.

 

[Elainera]

Hi Guiser. I've been following this thread for about a week now but reading your post has prompted me to sign up as it's the first time I've felt I could be of some use.

I'm not a Lewes resident, but live nearby and know the town very well. I'm almost 100% certain that it is not possible to see the Tesco from any point between The Lamb and The Elephant and Castle. Far too many densely packed terraced houses/shops in the way on the higher ground near The Lamb and The Elephant and Castle is some 10m downhill and again, surrounded by buildings and trees. To my knowledge, the closest view across the river to the Tesco in that vicinity is at the junction of North St/Stanley St/Wellington St.

Of course, one of the big mysteries of this case is where AK went between passing The Elly westwards at 19.17 (or 19.19 depending on account, more likely I think as he'd left The Lamb at 19.16) and then passing again eastwards at 19.36. Again, I'm sure there is no point to the west of the Elly where the Tesco is visible, even if he had headed north to the Pells area (far too many trees).

I do agree the most likely explanation for his leaving the group was to search for a cigarette selling shop - the fact that he is not smoking in the 19.19 cctv footage, 3mins after leaving The Lamb would suggest he had run out or was running low. It's a 'mission' I've had to make many times. It's also likely that with his battery running low (phone off at 19.21) he was unable to use Google maps for long enough to know he was going in the worst possible direction for finding a shop. Perhaps, at about 10 mins into the unknown time between 19.19 and 19.36 he asked someone for the nearest shop, hence him heading back in the way he'd come to head for the High Street in order to locate Waitrose? If I were giving a stranger directions, I would not tell them a quicker route down unfamiliar streets where they might get lost, I'd tell them where it was from a location they knew and could easily find.

Welcome Walker78! Thank you for sharing your experience of the town. When you look at the first photo #guiser posted above in post #227, could you imagine Anthony getting to that spot and then in the dark stumbling into the water?

 

[Lofticus]

The industrial estate opposite Tesco in Guiser's picture is being knocked down. A lot of it has gone and its cordoned off. People squat in a coupl of the buildings just past the fire station to the Pells park. There was also a fire on the industrial estate on the 27th December.

The picture showing tesco.. there is a lit footpath that follows the river from the town to the footbridge (that connects to the Pells). Can confirm that this was not under water as i walked through town and along the path at 8.20pm on 20th December.

 

[Walker78]

When you look at the first photo #guiser posted above in post #227, could you imagine Anthony getting to that spot and then in the dark stumbling into the water?

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.

 

[Elainera]

The industrial estate opposite Tesco in Guiser's picture is being knocked down. A lot of it has gone and its cordoned off. People squat in a coupl of the buildings just past the fire station to the Pells park. There was also a fire on the industrial estate on the 27th December.

The picture showing tesco.. there is a lit footpath that follows the river from the town to the footbridge (that connects to the Pells). Can confirm that this was not under water as i walked through town and along the path at 8.20pm on 20th December.

Thank you Lofticus, for sharing your observations, and Welcome to WS!

So you were actually in the area that very night - you might have unknowingly walked by Anthony!

Can you recall the weather? Was it cloudy, raining?

Thank you @Walker78 for the detailed explanation. It is all very odd and puzzling isn't it? Where could he have gone? Is there anywhere where he might have sat down, a park? Might he have needed a public toilet? Is there one?

It's so nice to have so much local input here!

 

[BodyOfWater]

What about bookmakers? Are there any in the vicinity of where Anthony was captured on CCTV? Been on many a work night out where someone has left to place a bet? Could be another possible reason for his leaving? MOO

I am a bookmaker. Being it the end of the year there wasn’t a great deal of sport going on. The night Anthony went missing there was one Championship match later in the evening involving clubs from more Northern England & darts. Neither got a great deal of interest at shop level. Most people use their phones to place bets.

 

[BodyOfWater]

I read on here somewhere that he was on the phone to a friend giving him directions.. so it makes sense if he was walking up and down the road shortly after to possibly look out for or to find him. A car slowed right down so was this his friend? And has this person come forward?

If AK was giving directions then you would assume he had some local knowledge or could find his way back.