UK UK - Claudia Lawrence, 35, Chef, York University, 18 March 2009 #16

[AerieFaerie]

Agree - however it was st Patrick’s night - so
Wether with a new boyfriend or not / highly likely a late night?

depends where you are. If you are at work and just popping out for lunch - may look just like an ordinary day

Sure, but the timing is still interesting. If we accept, for arguments sake, that the phone was deliberately switched off, why did it take so long? Did the perp only notice the phone was still on a while later? It’s just an intriguing timeline.

 

[AerieFaerie]

Anyone here that ate at the university campus that CL worked at?

How many services a day?

All 3 breakfast, lunch and dinner? Or just 2, breakfast and dinner?

Yes I did. I was in James College, right next door, at the time. There was breakfast, lunch and dinner but also a cafe that was open all day. Occasionally there were catered socials in the Roger Kirk too.

 

[keep-it-real]

Yes I did. I was in James College, right next door, at the time. There was breakfast, lunch and dinner but also a cafe that was open all day. Occasionally there were catered socials in the Roger Kirk too.

Can you confirm if the college had a bakery?

 

[Bagpipes]

Yes I did. I was in James College, right next door, at the time. There was breakfast, lunch and dinner but also a cafe that was open all day. Occasionally there were catered socials in the Roger Kirk too.

Thanks, that would suggest a late shift was an option for Claudia.
It's my understanding that CL preferred the early shift. With her car being off the road though it's possible that CL had asked her manager to roster her in for a few of the later shifts which would explain her complaint to friends about 12 earlies. That text was sent on a Wednesday which meant she was rostered in for earlies that week and the next 2. Hence 12 early shifts.

 

[AerieFaerie]

Can you confirm if the college had a bakery?

I wouldn’t have thought so. It was a student canteen, nothing particularly fancy. I think it opened for breakfast at about 8am.

 

[keep-it-real]

Yes I did. I was in James College, right next door, at the time. There was breakfast, lunch and dinner but also a cafe that was open all day. Occasionally there were catered socials in the Roger Kirk too.

What can you tell us about the police presence and the search of student accom -when did these start.
And what if anything can you tell us about the report of a rucksack in the Uni grounds

Were there any rumors about activity at the college on weds 18th?

 

[keep-it-real]

I wouldn’t have thought so. It was a student canteen, nothing particularly fancy. I think it opened for breakfast at about 8am.

So if bakery goods were delivered every morning that would be quite an early delivery.

 

[AerieFaerie]

What can you tell us about the police presence and the search of student accom -when did these start.
And what if anything can you tell us about the report of a rucksack in the Uni grounds

Were there any rumors about activity at the college on weds 18th?

Honestly, there was nothing. Our accommodation in James was never searched, and we were never asked anything directly. Other than what was in the news and the posters around town, I wouldn’t really have noticed at the time.

 

[Novosti]

One possibility is that the perpetrators initially left it on, to be as consistent as possible with a mysterious disappearance explanation. But on noticing calls from the university, after Claudia failed to arrive for work, started to worry that the calls might be geolocated, and then turned it off before disposing of it.

Sure, but the timing is still interesting. If we accept, for arguments sake, that the phone was deliberately switched off, why did it take so long? Did the perp only notice the phone was still on a while later? It’s just an intriguing timeline.

 

[Batearedfreak]

Yes, I am left handed but hold my fork in my left hand. I think the whole left handed/right handed thing is a red herring as far as what dirty pots were in the sink .

Because I also always, without fail place my cutlery at twenty past four position on the plate/in the bowl, through habit of being taught this was etiquette. I know a few people who do that too, and others who habitually do something more random like quarter to three or half past six. Also you only have to tip a bowl slightly, when picking it up or putting it into the sink for the cutlery to move around the plate/bowl rim.

Basically, there are too many variables for the position of some washing up in an empty sink to be a reliable indictator of whether the user of the cutlery was left or right handed.

When looking at a potential crime scene how do you come to that conclusion?

 

[aworldofmadness]

Anyone here that ate at the university campus that CL worked at?

How many services a day?

All 3 breakfast, lunch and dinner? Or just 2, breakfast and dinner?

Yup, all 3. Confirming what AerieFaerie said.
I was a student at the time of CLs disappearance and ate in the Roger Kirk Centre most days. I work in the uni now but on Heslington East campus.

I wouldn’t read much into when baked goods were delivered. I believe there was a bakery elsewhere (Vanbrugh, I think) that supplied most of the catering outlets. But sometimes you could tell things like cakes had been frozen and then defrosted for sale.

 

[keep-it-real]

Honestly, there was nothing. Our accommodation in James was never searched, and we were never asked anything directly. Other than what was in the news and the posters around town, I wouldn’t really have noticed at the time.

a few more questions if I may?
1. You say your block was James who many and what were the names of other blocks.
2. Which blocks were the nearest to the locoation the of the rucksack found in the Uni grounds.
3. Did you know Claudia not personally but by seeing her in the canteen or around the College. If yes when was the last time you saw her.
4. Ive attatched a photo of a foyer, can you identify which building and where it is on campus.

 

[Woodburnbay]

You don't need strong evidence to arrest someone, just reasonable suspicion. The CPS assess any file passed to them by the police and will only proceed if there is a reasonable chance of a successful prosecution. I suspect, that the police had circumstantial evidence only against these men and it just didn't reach the necessary standard.

Agree, strong evidence is not required to arrest but a threshold has to be reached to charge and that is what wasn't achieved here.

 

[aworldofmadness]

Campus map, University of York

I believe the photos you posted are Claudia walking through the entrance to the old Goodricke common room, part of the maths department. @AerieFaerie what do you reckon?

Once I’m at my desk, I can add some pointers to the map.

 

[keep-it-real]

Yup, all 3. Confirming what AerieFaerie said.
I was a student at the time of CLs disappearance and ate in the Roger Kirk Centre most days. I work in the uni now but on Heslington East campus.

I wouldn’t read much into when baked goods were delivered. I believe there was a bakery elsewhere (Vanbrugh, I think) that supplied most of the catering outlets. But sometimes you could tell things like cakes had been frozen and then defrosted for sale.

Thank you for your reply.. But Vanburgh Bakery was only established 8 years ago. One of the other bakery goods suppliers Haighs (Guiseley) was established 20 years ago.
Unless the Uni had a bakery on site daily deliveries of some goods Im thinking of bread in particular would have been required for the menu requirements of providing 3 meals a day plus snacks to students and presumably some of the construction workers
Meet the suppliers - Eat at York, University of York

If I may can I ask the same question to you.. Do you remember seeing Claudia at the Uni and if so when was the last time you did so?

 

[Woodburnbay]

Ah, I need to read responses properly

It's just the feeling I get when I look at the dishes and the hair dye, together with the missing straighteners (I don't think she would take them to work).

But we have to consider that Dye and Dishes could be staged by culprits after tidying up.
Or
Put there to send a message to culprits by LE
IMO

 

[keep-it-real]

Campus map, University of York

I believe the photos you posted are Claudia walking through the entrance to the old Goodricke common room, part of the maths department. @AerieFaerie what do you reckon?

Once I’m at my desk, I can add some pointers to the map.

Some pointers would be great. For some reason I cant open the link you povided is anyone else having the same problem?

 

[Woodburnbay]

Are you suggesting that single people never go anywhere but home in an evening? I think it's far more likely a single person going out to be with someone else than it is someone part of a couple. Young, single people hook up with others all of the time - even with work in the morning. We have reason to believe that CL had an active social/love life (which I have no problem with, btw) so feel it's perfectly reasonable that she might have been entertaining at home and then left with that person. Maybe they lived closer to her work. Maybe they had booze at theirs and CL had run out. Maybe they were out of condoms. Who knows, but plenty of reasons to decamp to another house if you're young and in love and having a good time.

We also didn't see anyone else on the CCTV so by the above assumption of yours, do you mean the only way anyone went in/out was via the alleyway?

It appears that her behaviours changed in her last week(s). Always an indicator in a major crime.
She hadn't been to the Pub since the weekend and according to her friends this was not her normal pattern.
If she had embarrassed herself on her last visit to the pub, she may have been avoiding it and not wanting any of the locals see her going out for fear that she may have been invited back in.

 

[Woodburnbay]

Are you suggesting that single people never go anywhere but home in an evening? I think it's far more likely a single person going out to be with someone else than it is someone part of a couple. Young, single people hook up with others all of the time - even with work in the morning. We have reason to believe that CL had an active social/love life (which I have no problem with, btw) so feel it's perfectly reasonable that she might have been entertaining at home and then left with that person. Maybe they lived closer to her work. Maybe they had booze at theirs and CL had run out. Maybe they were out of condoms. Who knows, but plenty of reasons to decamp to another house if you're young and in love and having a good time.

We also didn't see anyone else on the CCTV so by the above assumption of yours, do you mean the only way anyone went in/out was via the alleyway?

It appears that her behaviours changed in her last week(s). Always an indicator in a major crime.
She hadn't been to the Pub since the weekend and according to her friends this was not her normal pattern.
If she had embarrassed herself on her last visit to the pub, she may have been avoiding it and not wanting any of the locals see her going out for fear that she may have been invited back in.

Can you imagine yourself - you’ve just killed someone and the clock is running - “ o I know what I will do go to her house and set the scene???”

Perhaps you would if you wanted to lead the trail further away from your doorstep or if you had left something incriminating.

The window of opportunity was not great for the culprit(s) but surprisingly longer than they thought it would be.

 

[aworldofmadness]

Thank you for your reply.. But Vanburgh Bakery was only established 8 years ago. One of the other bakery goods suppliers Haighs (Guiseley) was established 20 years ago.
Unless the Uni had a bakery on site daily deliveries of some goods Im thinking of bread in particular would have been required for the menu requirements of providing 3 meals a day plus snacks to students and presumably some of the construction workers
Meet the suppliers - Eat at York, University of York

If I may can I ask the same question to you.. Do you remember seeing Claudia at the Uni and if so when was the last time you did so?

Ah! That's interesting. I was a student 2006-2010 and I recall getting cupcakes from Vanbrugh (they were well known for them). I guess the established bakery perhaps wasn't an official thing back then. Not sure.

I'm afraid I don't recall meeting CL and I didn't know her personally. I very likely did see her in the Roger Kirk though, especially if she served food as well as cooked. Interestingly, I don't remember ever seeing any police presence in the uni around the time. I would have thought there would be but apparently not... ?

Some pointers would be great. For some reason I cant open the link you povided is anyone else having the same problem?

Sorry -- I've edited the post to correct the link. It's the campus interactive map.
I've attached a pic where I've marked on the place I think CL is walking through in the foyer pics. It's a common route through the back towards the Roger Kirk Centre. I'm not sure why she would be coming from that direction if I'm correct though.