UK UK - Claudia Lawrence, 35, York University, 18 March 2009 - Chef - #2

[howkflakegirl1]

Goodness, I haven't been on this site for a long time. I used to frequent the threads here and there are quite a few comments from me early in this thread and in the other one. I was a student here and moved away 2 years ago, but still have family in York. I was always intrigued by the Nags Head and fancied going in one night for a pint and a look around, if anyone would fancy that sometime.


Just skimmed over some of the replies from the last few years and I had some brief thoughts (I'm sure more will come to me later though). I don't think Halliwell's father lived in York. I think he lived in Huddersfield and the press have sensationalised everything. He probably killed more people than we know but that makes the link to Claudia more tenuous.
Also, the guy in the CCTV I posted here years ago was apparently investigated and died shortly after Claudia's disappearance - I believe he was found to be clean and owned several rented properties in the area, which explains the footage to some degree. It's still suspicious but I always wondered if his stopping on the CCTV was more due to seeing someone he feared rather than wanting to hide. In the dark CCTV video taken at night - if you look at the house at the top left you can see halfway through it looks like someone has walked in front of the house - there is a figure there stood staring towards the road the man disappears down and towards Claudia's house.


Also, I read about the girl that was raped in the van and I think I knew her at the time. We weren't close by any means but she was on the same uni course as my housemate and friend from home - I will ask for more details from my ex housemate. I distinctly remember hearing about it - she had a lot of time off due to it. I miss York and I hope to move back someday, but it had its creepy elements - always reminded me a bit of Derry in Stephen King's It. A great city and one I miss but one with an undercurrent and an unseasonable amount of crime. It sounds like a silly conspiracy but at one point I wondered if there was any truth to the river pushing theory

 

[shadowdancer]

Welcome back howkflakegirl1.

 

[Officer Dibble]

A friend of mine knows the area and the regulars at The Nags Head well. She mentioned to me about a regular who often engaged in odd behaviour who suddenly disappeared to Scotland in the weeks following her disappearance, despite living and working in York for decades. He would often "creep out" the women at the pub, Claudia included, and there are a couple reports of him following women. There was also rumours he had a temper. I know where he worked and the rough area he lived in, plus his first name. Does anyone know how I'd be able to get more info?
Apparently, as far as her and other regulars at the pub are aware, this guy was never looked in to. It's probably nothing at all and just rumours, but....

If I were you JammyGem, I'd contact the Police and say these are the rumours you have heard about that are still being discussed locally. They might need a reminder of this rumour now that things have calmed down from the initial enquiry. It seems to be in the early stages of missing enquiries so much information is looked over that could be crucial. This information you mention seems pertinent to me, as my own daughter had recent similar situation of a regular in a pub in another area, who was, unknown to her, stalking her. Turns out he has displayed very predatory ways towards other women in the pub; especially when he's had something to drink; and is a regular occurance. People talk about him locally (it turns out) but nothing ever gets proved. So I can fully understand what you are discussing above.

 

[PaulSimon]

I know we will never really find out but with so many arrests for suspicion of her murder I’m so curious as to why they were arrested as suspects and what info they had.

 

[PaulSimon]

I’ve been reading up on this one and never given my thoughts so I thought I would give some discussion.

So my thought is she was seeing someone and that person is the left handed smoker who’s DNA was found on the cig butt in her car. If you knew you was smoking in Claudia’s car I’m the time prior to her disappearance you would have come forward now to be eliminated and the fact they haven’t suggest they are possibly involved.

I believe she did leave that morning and she was picked up by the guy she was seeing, since her car was in the garage. That person is driving the car that breaks outside her house at around 5.40 ish. That’s a good amount of time for a lift to work, probs a little early actually as it’s supposedly a 5 minute drive. Perhaps he beeped and as Claudia was brushing her teeth at the time rushes to meet him, she leaves her tooth brush on the side instead of returning it to the bathroom. She rushes out. They then drive off to drop her off. They could have gotten into an argument and pulled over. This is where a witness saw a couple arguing with a car door open (I think that’s right?) For whatever reasons she’s gotten back in the car and he’s driven off with her. Somethings then happened.

 

[CoverMeCagney]

I’ve been reading up on this one and never given my thoughts so I thought I would give some discussion.

So my thought is she was seeing someone and that person is the left handed smoker who’s DNA was found on the cig butt in her car. If you knew you was smoking in Claudia’s car I’m the time prior to her disappearance you would have come forward now to be eliminated and the fact they haven’t suggest they are possibly involved.

I believe she did leave that morning and she was picked up by the guy she was seeing, since her car was in the garage. That person is driving the car that breaks outside her house at around 5.40 ish. That’s a good amount of time for a lift to work, probs a little early actually as it’s supposedly a 5 minute drive. Perhaps he beeped and as Claudia was brushing her teeth at the time rushes to meet him, she leaves her tooth brush on the side instead of returning it to the bathroom. She rushes out. They then drive off to drop her off. They could have gotten into an argument and pulled over. This is where a witness saw a couple arguing with a car door open (I think that’s right?) For whatever reasons she’s gotten back in the car and he’s driven off with her. Somethings then happened.

I agree with this scenario. And I think one day the DNA will reveal who left-handed-smoker is, either by someone being arrested or one of these genealogy testing sites that people are doing for fun. Whether that in itself is enough to prompt charges and/or finding Claudia, is anyone's guess.

 

[indrid cold]

This poor girl's been gone longer than my marriages lasted.

 

[Deleted member 102539]

Goodness, I haven't been on this site for a long time. I used to frequent the threads here and there are quite a few comments from me early in this thread and in the other one. I was a student here and moved away 2 years ago, but still have family in York. I was always intrigued by the Nags Head and fancied going in one night for a pint and a look around, if anyone would fancy that sometime.


Just skimmed over some of the replies from the last few years and I had some brief thoughts (I'm sure more will come to me later though). I don't think Halliwell's father lived in York. I think he lived in Huddersfield and the press have sensationalised everything. He probably killed more people than we know but that makes the link to Claudia more tenuous.
Also, the guy in the CCTV I posted here years ago was apparently investigated and died shortly after Claudia's disappearance - I believe he was found to be clean and owned several rented properties in the area, which explains the footage to some degree. It's still suspicious but I always wondered if his stopping on the CCTV was more due to seeing someone he feared rather than wanting to hide. In the dark CCTV video taken at night - if you look at the house at the top left you can see halfway through it looks like someone has walked in front of the house - there is a figure there stood staring towards the road the man disappears down and towards Claudia's house.


Also, I read about the girl that was raped in the van and I think I knew her at the time. We weren't close by any means but she was on the same uni course as my housemate and friend from home - I will ask for more details from my ex housemate. I distinctly remember hearing about it - she had a lot of time off due to it. I miss York and I hope to move back someday, but it had its creepy elements - always reminded me a bit of Derry in Stephen King's It. A great city and one I miss but one with an undercurrent and an unseasonable amount of crime. It sounds like a silly conspiracy but at one point I wondered if there was any truth to the river pushing theory

bbm
Rape in van - do you mean Mark Ford Thompson:
Cambridge graduate describes sex predator husband jailed for life as 'kind and sensitive'

With Claudia's case I can't see, if there ever will be light at the end of the tunnel.

 

[Lass from Yorkshire]

I miss York and I hope to move back someday, but it had its creepy elements - always reminded me a bit of Derry in Stephen King's It. A great city and one I miss but one with an undercurrent and an unseasonable amount of crime. It sounds like a silly conspiracy but at one point I wondered if there was any truth to the river pushing theory

Can you provide background on what you are basing these comments on?

 

[chimpface]

Can you provide background on what you are basing these comments on?

This mentions the river pusher theory.

Fears of 'Yorkshire Dipper' canal pusher as five men found dead in 10mile radius

 

[dotr]

Can you provide background on what you are basing these comments on?

Welcome to Ws Lass from Yorkshire!

 

[Deleted member 219975]

i saw the video of the ford focus on cctv..with all these things im sure they have gone through it with a fine tooth comb so when u have a thought im sure its been done..but has anyone noticed towards the end of the video in the upper left a reflection of a car light in the house window..i worked out its because a car was turning right so its rear light was momentarirly reflected in the window..actually i think its the brake light..if it is what it could mean is the car pulled over from the left to the right of the road outside claudias house...i also recon its a 2 door focus..u can enhance the stills and almost make out theres no back door..been a light colour(theres only really 3 colours) and 2 door that would cut down the number of vehicles..its a shame the cctv is low resolution as theres another way to possibly reduce the number of vehicles possible in that the first generation focus had an update that made it the 1.5 generation..this was in late 2000 effectively 2001..the big difference is the early cars had black sills and black lower 3rd of the bumpers..its quite a thing that should show up..there is a fly in the ointment that some special versions didnt have this..but the majority did..
like i saw they must have done all that..
i find it odd that her electric tooth brush was in the kitchen yet her bed was made..toothbrush in the kitchen suggests in a rush,the charger was in the bathroom so why have the time to make ur bed but then be in such a rush ur toothbrush ends up in the kitchen??my thought on it is she got up made her bed started to brush her teeth ect when whoever picked her up turned up early,she goes down to greet whoever with toothbrush in hand maybe to the back door?then they want to leave in a hurry..maybe the dishes in the sink are misleading.might explain the focus in the early hours

 

[Deleted member 219975]

actually all ud have to do is take 4 cars,a five door and a 3 door pre fecelift and the same post face lift ,run them down the road under the same conditions as the suspect car with the same resolution camera and compare the results with the video..3 door and 5 door cars are different lengths for starters with a different rear quarterlight and different lenght body trim and with modern computers it shouldnt be that hard to overlay the images.use say the silver version so u get a colour reference and u might get to reduce it to a pre facelift say 3 door of limited colour option.thats then only cars from late 98 to 2001...dont know where ud go from there but be fun to do....

 

[Alyce]

A suspect in the case of missing chef Claudia Lawrence claims North Yorkshire police are hell-bent on proving anyone who knew the 35-year-old was responsible for her disappearance.

Tradesman David Robinson was arrested on suspicion of murdering Claudia who vanished without trace in 2009.

The 55-year-old said allegations were completely false.

Robinson said a misunderstanding' put him at the centre of Claudia's inexplicably going missing.


Tradesman, 55, quizzed over missing chef Claudia Lawrence says 'misunderstanding' made him a suspect | Daily Mail Online

 

[Lass from Yorkshire]

Why would you be making comments that could in any way be taken out of context, sounding like you had killed her?
I do feel for the current team leading the investigation, taking on a botched case and struggling for evidence.
IMO this does link to the Nags Head and anyone in the trade will be very well equipped to dispose of a body.

 

[jessie]

Did anyone read The Sunday Times article that the DM are quoting from there? Did the ST do an article on Claudia? TIA

 

[dotr]

Claudia Lawrence case: suspect lashes police
"It is a murder mystery that could have been from a pre-internet age, although it happened in 2009. Claudia Lawrence was 35 when she vanished from her life in York. She did not have a computer, did not use her phone to go online and was not on social media."
Tradesman, 55, quizzed over missing chef Claudia Lawrence says 'misunderstanding' made him a suspect | Daily Mail Online
"From the very beginning, police involved in the search appeared convinced that the key to the investigation was in Claudia's wide circle of friends, which were based around the local pub, the Nag's Head.

Claudia's father Peter Lawrence thinks that's where the answer still is, based on 'nothing I know. Just instinct.'

'I believe she was abducted on her way to work that Thursday morning. She would kick and scream like mad if somebody she didn't know tried to abduct her,' Lawrence said.

'But if it was somebody she vaguely knew who offered a lift, she would probably accept it.'"
'The problem, as always, is that we do not know what happened to Claudia.

'I know that she didn't disappear of her own accord because she left her house here, without her handbag, jewellery, without her bank card, driving licence and everything else.

'Her best friend Jen knows Claudia would have not left the house without these items unless she was just going to work which she was due to do.'"

 

[dotr]

New CCTV footage released by police searching for Claudia Lawrence | Daily Mail Online
"Video: Missing Claudia Lawrence: Previously unseen CCTV released
Police investigating the disappearance of chef Claudia Lawrence have released previously unseen CCTV footage."

 

[chimpface]

i saw the video of the ford focus on cctv..with all these things im sure they have gone through it with a fine tooth comb so when u have a thought im sure its been done..but has anyone noticed towards the end of the video in the upper left a reflection of a car light in the house window..i worked out its because a car was turning right so its rear light was momentarirly reflected in the window..actually i think its the brake light..if it is what it could mean is the car pulled over from the left to the right of the road outside claudias house...i also recon its a 2 door focus..u can enhance the stills and almost make out theres no back door..been a light colour(theres only really 3 colours) and 2 door that would cut down the number of vehicles..its a shame the cctv is low resolution as theres another way to possibly reduce the number of vehicles possible in that the first generation focus had an update that made it the 1.5 generation..this was in late 2000 effectively 2001..the big difference is the early cars had black sills and black lower 3rd of the bumpers..its quite a thing that should show up..there is a fly in the ointment that some special versions didnt have this..but the majority did..
like i saw they must have done all that..
i find it odd that her electric tooth brush was in the kitchen yet her bed was made..toothbrush in the kitchen suggests in a rush,the charger was in the bathroom so why have the time to make ur bed but then be in such a rush ur toothbrush ends up in the kitchen??my thought on it is she got up made her bed started to brush her teeth ect when whoever picked her up turned up early,she goes down to greet whoever with toothbrush in hand maybe to the back door?then they want to leave in a hurry..maybe the dishes in the sink are misleading.might explain the focus in the early hours

Great sleuthing rehtnap!

Claudia Lawrence case: suspect lashes police
"It is a murder mystery that could have been from a pre-internet age, although it happened in 2009. Claudia Lawrence was 35 when she vanished from her life in York. She did not have a computer, did not use her phone to go online and was not on social media."
Tradesman, 55, quizzed over missing chef Claudia Lawrence says 'misunderstanding' made him a suspect | Daily Mail Online
"From the very beginning, police involved in the search appeared convinced that the key to the investigation was in Claudia's wide circle of friends, which were based around the local pub, the Nag's Head.

Claudia's father Peter Lawrence thinks that's where the answer still is, based on 'nothing I know. Just instinct.'

'I believe she was abducted on her way to work that Thursday morning. She would kick and scream like mad if somebody she didn't know tried to abduct her,' Lawrence said.

'But if it was somebody she vaguely knew who offered a lift, she would probably accept it.'"
'The problem, as always, is that we do not know what happened to Claudia.

'I know that she didn't disappear of her own accord because she left her house here, without her handbag, jewellery, without her bank card, driving licence and everything else.

'Her best friend Jen knows Claudia would have not left the house without these items unless she was just going to work which she was due to do.'"

Snipped from the article:-

"Robinson told The Sunday Times a 'misunderstanding' put him at the centre of Claudia's inexplicably going missing.

'They are transfixed on trying to prove it's somebody around here. They have put so much time and effort into it they daren't look anywhere else.

'(Police) said they had a witness that I'd told something (to the effect of I killed Claudia). It was a load of rubbish and the person took something I said out of context. "

As Shakespeare would say,

"The lady doth protest too much, methinks"

There's no doubt the mystery of Claudia's disappearance is being hidden by people in and around York. I thought it was interesting they mentioned in that article this chap was arrested in 2009 but the CPS didn't decide until 2016 (7 years!) there wasn't enough to prosecute which leads to two possibles;

1. The CPS were desperate to charge someone and had absolutely nothing but hearsay so tried their best to pin it on someone.

or

2. The CPS have a good idea of what went on and who were involved but just don't have that smoking gun to make it stick.

My educated guess would be on the second option.

Thoughts?

 

[Lass from Yorkshire]

1. The CPS were desperate to charge someone and had absolutely nothing but hearsay so tried their best to pin it on someone.

or

2. The CPS have a good idea of what went on and who were involved but just don't have that smoking gun to make it stick.

My educated guess would be on the second option.

Thoughts?



[/QUOTE]

Without a doubt number 2