Found Deceased UK - Rex Hawkes, 71, Lewes, Sussex, 15 December 2021

[JuicyLucy]

Police are concerned for the welfare of Rex (Greatrex) Hawkes who has been reported missing from Newick, near Lewes.

Rex, 71, was last seen on Wednesday 15 December 15 at 10.30am when he drove away in his Jaguar car.

He is described as being 5’ 8” tall with short brown hair which is greying at the sides and having a stocky build. It is unknown what he was wearing at the time.

https://www.sussex.police.uk/news/sussex/news/have-you-seen-rex-hawkes-missing-from-lewes/

Police launch appeal for missing man, 71, last seen driving a Jaguar car

Police concerned for missing Lewes man

 

[Darling136]

Log into Facebook

Lewes Police post

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

Renwed appeal.

Police are concerned for the welfare of Rex Hawkes who has been reported missing from Lewes.

Rex, 71, was last seen on Wednesday (December 15) at 10.30am when he drove away in his Jaguar car. It is now known that Rex is no longer in possession of the car.

He is described as being 5’ 8” tall with short brown hair which is greying at the sides and having a stocky build. It is unknown what he was wearing at the time.

It is believed he previously visited the Ashtead area of Surrey, and may have links to the area.

Anyone who has seen Rex or knows where he is asked to call 101 or report it online, quoting serial 408 of 17/12.

Lewes Police

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

Still missing.

Rex - Missing People

Rex we are here for you whenever you are ready; we can listen, talk you through what help you need, […]

www.missingpeople.org.uk

 

[annpats]

And his car hasn't been located?

Surely it must have pinged past some ANPR cameras somewhere! They're on motorways, A roads and even some B roads these days ...

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

And his car hasn't been located?

Surely it must have pinged past some ANPR cameras somewhere! They're on motorways, A roads and even some B roads these days ...

I see from a FB search, a friend reports the car was found on Eastbourne seafront 2 days after he went missing.

That adds another complexion to it, leaving the car by the sea.

The police have removed original link and renewed appeal on their Sussex.police.uk site after Jan 18.

 

[annpats]

Right, well, in that case, I suspect he may sadly be a Beachy Head suicide.

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

Right, well, in that case, I suspect he may sadly be a Beachy Head suicide.

Yes, I think after all this time and no sightings, that is a likely conclusion, though the police state he is still officially 'missing'.

 

[JuicyLucy]

Right, well, in that case, I suspect he may sadly be a Beachy Head suicide.

If his car was left on the seafront, then I think it's more likely that he entered the water at the level of the beach. Beachy Head is considerably higher up (being... a cliff) and unless he was an extraordinarily fit and active 71yo (which is always possible, of course) I think he would have been more likely to leave his car in one of the many car parks off the Beachy Head Road if his intention was to take his life by jumping.

The tide timetables for 15 December show that it was low tide in the mid-afternoon, and at low (and dropping) tide the stretch of beach between, say, the Wish Tower and Holywell is a large and lovely expanse of sand and rockpools beloved of dog walkers and beachcombers, and people wanting solitude and thinking time. Even in December, he would not attract attention, but at the same time it would be very easy to get cut off by the tide, particularly as the light went.

If he died by drowning, we'll probably never know if it was intentional or not, even if a body is found in due course. I know the tides and currents along this stretch of coast quite well, having researched them in relation to the death of Blessing Olusegun, who died at Bexhill, and know that when things do wash up after a period of time they tend to have drifted east of where they went in, so even if that's what happened Rex Hawkes' story may yet have an ending, which would be comforting for his family, perhaps.

Eastbourne Tide Times for 15th December 2021 | Tide Times

JMO

 

[StillDiggin]

Rex‘s police appeals are down, anybody know why?

 

[JuicyLucy]

Rex‘s police appeals are down, anybody know why?

Sadly, he is deceased.

Tribute to Greatrex Hawkes, 1950 - 2022
Picture gallery : Greatrex Hawkes' Tribute

<modsnip>

I will report it.

Thanks very much to admin, who fortunately sent me an alert, as the thread starter.

RIP

 

[JuicyLucy]

I just wanted to add, having looked through the tributes to Rex, that he sounds as though he will be very missed. A successful engineer, he was also a family man who contributed generously in his local community, an accomplished pianist and ballroom dancer, and an advanced motorcyclist who volunteered as a blood transport rider. I started the thread in the hope that he would be found safe and that we might help, and am just sorry that he wasn't.