UK UK - Claudia Lawrence, 35, Chef, York University, 18 March 2009 #19

[Interested_But_Confused]

I have just remembered an article from The Times on March 26 2009 which said:

Police know where and when [the phone] was powered off, but those details remain among "a wealth of information" that Mr Galloway said that he was choosing not to disclose.

The full article is unfortunately behind a paywall but here is the link nonetheless:

Missing chef Claudia Lawrence ‘harmed by someone she trusted’

The detective leading the hunt for a missing university chef said that it was highly likely that she “came to harm” after meeting someone whom she trusted. Detective Superintendent Ray Galloway was

www.thetimes.com

DS Galloway said, just one week after Claudia disappeared, that the police knew where her phone was located when it was turned off but were withholding the information. Unless we assume he was lying, that seems to be about as definitive as we're likely to get.

 

[JimmyDurham]

it’s very easy to fit this into the local theories

Why is it so easy? Theories should be led by the evidence.

Reckon the thread would be bare in the event the NH4 theorists were told to say something that isn't gossip.

Most people’s assumption has always been the police know more than they are saying and they have openly implied they believe they know what happened,

Are most people right to assume the polis know what happened? I'd say not a chance. The CPS would absolutely say you'd probably want to think twice before going down that road of supposed knowledge.

Are most people right to assume that the polis believe they know what happened? This would be an interesting discussion given that the polis have appealed for information long after the NH4 and other people they arrested.

but even then it shouldn’t discount other possibilities.

Loads of possibilities, Ruth, but the NH4 is at the bottom of the pile. It's an Agatha Christie book masquerading as a reasonable argument. The evidence and murder statistics tell us that.

 

[RCYWW]

Why is it so easy? Theories should be led by the evidence.

Reckon the thread would be bare in the event the NH4 theorists were told to say something that isn't gossip.



Are most people right to assume the polis know what happened? I'd say not a chance. The CPS would absolutely say you'd probably want to think twice before going down that road of supposed knowledge.

Are most people right to assume that the polis believe they know what happened? This would be an interesting discussion given that the polis have appealed for information long after the NH4 and other people they arrested.



Loads of possibilities, Ruth, but the NH4 is at the bottom of the pile. It's an Agatha Christie book masquerading as a reasonable argument. The evidence and murder statistics tell us that.

Evening , what evidence do you know of that points in other directions that can help ? Or any evidence you know of that points to other suspects?

 

[jackal67]

<modsnip - quoted post was removed (reddit & random YT)
I do remember this about straighteners being removed from a house neat to Claudias

 

[Professor Moriarty]

I do remember this about straighteners being removed from a house neat to Claudias

The hair straighteners were said to have been missing from Claudia's house.

CLAUDIA LAWRENCE: Police reveal new leads

DETECTIVES investigating the disappearance of York chef Claudia Lawrence have released fresh appeals and new evidence but say there is still no…

www.yorkpress.co.uk

That would be consistent with her leaving in the evening, to spend the night somewhere else and do her hair in the morning. However, her mobile phone charger was at home, although you would expect her to need it, if staying away overnight, as she was a heavy user of her mobile. Of course, if staying away overnight, she might have been staying with someone whose charger she could use. Also, pre smart phones, some phones could go a long time between charges.

 

[RCYWW]

<modsnip - quoted post was removed - reddit & random YT>
In April 2015 when they arrested the “3” male suspects they also searched 20 other property’s in heworth, inc 15 (owned by suspect) and 19 heworth place and also the house across the road on heworth road (owned by suspect) from this house (owned by suspect and lived with her friend) they removed ghd hair straighteners which were boxed I.e in the ghd box you would purchase them In The police are carrying it out in a clear evidence plastic box with other items in
They images were taken by reporters and all over the newspapers you can still see the photos. No one highlighted the ghd’s though of news worthy they were just evidence in a box myself and probs countless others picked up on it though

 

[RCYWW]

I do remember this about straighteners being removed from a house neat to Claudias

It was from the house opposite hers they were still in a ghd box which you could see …. Claudia more than likely would not carry hers around boxed … no one does

 

[johnlair]

Does anyone know whether that loft her mum found was ever searched ... I'm not saying she would be up there but she could have stored private things up there and there could be a clue

 

[Nikynoo]

I have just remembered an article from The Times on March 26 2009 which said:

Police know where and when [the phone] was powered off, but those details remain among "a wealth of information" that Mr Galloway said that he was choosing not to disclose.

The full article is unfortunately behind a paywall but here is the link nonetheless:

Missing chef Claudia Lawrence ‘harmed by someone she trusted’

The detective leading the hunt for a missing university chef said that it was highly likely that she “came to harm” after meeting someone whom she trusted. Detective Superintendent Ray Galloway was

www.thetimes.com

DS Galloway said, just one week after Claudia disappeared, that the police knew where her phone was located when it was turned off but were withholding the information. Unless we assume he was lying, that seems to be about as definitive as we're likely to get.

Why would the police not reveal where the phone was turned off? More likely to trigger a memory if the area was revealed?

 

[JimmyDurham]

Why would the police not reveal where the phone was turned off? More likely to trigger a memory if the area was revealed?

It's also been said on this thread: "the polis withhold evidence in every case, why not in this case?"

That's a fair enough statement on its own.

The problem comes when theorists turn that into: "evidence against the NH4 has been withheld and we know this because the polis withhold evidence in every case".

No. It doesn't follow. It's flawed reasoning/confirmation bias. Why the NH4? Why not evidence withheld against some other person?

As for where the phone was turned off:

Whatever people imagine, it certainly wasn't significant given that the CPS weren't impressed with the case put before them. And, the technology simply wasn't in place to do what is being claimed.

 

[Alpha Zero]

Does anyone know whether that loft her mum found was ever searched ... I'm not saying she would be up there but she could have stored private things up there and there could be a clue

Don’t think it’s been searched at all recently , don’t think the police are too interested in that development although It was all over the papers that her house was broken into a few months ago which could mean the police check things out.

 

[johnlair]

Don’t think it’s been searched at all recently , don’t think the police are too interested in that development although It was all over the papers that her house was broken into a few months ago which could mean the police check things out.

That's pretty crazy I mean I don't know what to believe with that rumour of her having a DVD with her and married guys on it but if true she could have easily stashed something in that loft as maybe blackmail... It's just an idea and probably a dumb one but still for the sake of a check I'm very surprised the police are not interested

 

[Alpha Zero]

That's pretty crazy I mean I don't know what to believe with that rumour of her having a DVD with her and married guys on it but if true she could have easily stashed something in that loft as maybe blackmail... It's just an idea and probably a dumb one but still for the sake of a check I'm very surprised the police are not interested

I wouldn’t believe that, that always came across as just far fetched to me. It would probably be good for the police to go back and have a look around though , but then in numerous reports , claudias Mum Joan has said she doesn’t want them to go back because they treat the whole initial investigation poorly and basically badmouthed her daughter by saying she had a lot of dodgy relationships ( which Joan clearly disagrees with despite it probably being accurate ) so…it’s one of those situations where neither party can get answers

 

[Interested_But_Confused]

Why would the police not reveal where the phone was turned off? More likely to trigger a memory if the area was revealed?

I guess they have their reasons, but it would be so much easier if we knew what those reasons were.

Perhaps they already had a suspect in mind at the time of DS Galloway's statement, and he wanted to drop hints to the suspect in the hope it might cause them to make a mistake, without revealing too much to anyone who wasn't involved?

It appears that the police had managed to track Claudia's movements around York pretty closely in the preceding days and weeks, so I won't assume DS Galloway was lying--withholding evidence for operational reasons would, in my view, be quite different to announcing they had and were withholding information they didn't actually have.

Personally I don't have much of a theory about *who* did this, other than thinking it was someone Claudia knew. And clearly the evidence the police have wasn't enough for the CPS. So here we are 16 years later.

 

[RCYWW]

Does anyone know whether that loft her mum found was ever searched ... I'm not saying she would be up there but she could have stored private things up there and there could be a clue

Police stuck a camera up there when she first went missing

 

[johnlair]

Police stuck a camera up there when she first went missing

That could have missed anything.... If she was and I am not saying she was blackmailing anyllone it would be important to check up there properly you would think

 

[Alpha Zero]

https://www.itv.com/news/tyne-tees/2025-07-09/podcast-on-claudia-lawrence-claims-there-is-new-evidence-16-years-on

 

[AcerPacer]

https://www.itv.com/news/tyne-tees/2025-07-09/podcast-on-claudia-lawrence-claims-there-is-new-evidence-16-years-on

Have you listened to the latest episodes yet? I've not listened to any of these!
I'm off to find it now - 15 minutes past midnight..might not get through much but I'll listen to them all asap!
Thank you for posting!

 

[Alpha Zero]

Have you listened to the latest episodes yet? I've not listened to any of these!
I'm off to find it now - 15 minutes past midnight..might not get through much but I'll listen to them all asap!
Thank you for posting!

I’ve heard them all yes

 

[Professor Moriarty]

https://www.itv.com/news/tyne-tees/2025-07-09/podcast-on-claudia-lawrence-claims-there-is-new-evidence-16-years-on

Is this only available on an Apple paid - for service? Thanks.