UK UK - Ruth Wilson, 16, Dorking, 27 Nov 1995

[Professor Moriarty]

or might suggest she had no intention of running away and was going about her normal routine

That was not her normal routine.

 

[mrC]

she my of had to study for somthing in the 6th form you spend all your time in school alot o time would of probely been spent at the libary

 

[espirtu pampa]

she my of had to study for somthing in the 6th form you spend all your time in school alot o time would of probely been spent at the libary

Then it means that she didn't intend to disappear.

 

[mrC]

i dont belive she did intend to disapear the flowers could of been some sort of joke rather than a farewell asuming ruth actully sent them

 

[davidt]

i dont belive she did intend to disapear the flowers could of been some sort of joke rather than a farewell asuming ruth actully sent them

Doesn't the same apply if she was going go take her own life? Why spend time in the library studying?

 

[mrC]

i dont think she was planning to take her own life ethere i suspect foul play

 

[davidt]

i dont think she was planning to take her own life ethere i suspect foul play

Oh, I don't discount that idea either. The whole case is very strange.

 

[TheRockingRev]

im not sure why ruth would of needed outside help to run away

i mean girls ruthsage run away all the time without any outside help

She was 15, and probably wasn't looking just to run away to live on the streets. IMO she was looking to start a new life, and if so then would need help. I don't believe her disappearing was a spur of the moment thing, it was planned over a period and there were likely one or two friends who were helping her.

 

[TheRockingRev]

im not eactly sure why she would need help to run away i mean she was perfectly capeble of cathing a trian wasnt she she could easly of just packed a bag that morning and been gone no need for taxi rides to box hill or for stashing suitcases with acomplices why would you make somthing thats pretty simple so complicated

I think to play out the pretence of a fake suicide - and to divert attention away from the town. She would know that a large scale police search, plus plenty of locals being involved to, would take place on Boxhill. If she did stay the night with someone before making her escape the next day (which could make sense if she was driven somewhere as if the friend did it the night before, they could've been gone for quite a few hours and may be had to explain to their parents where they had been) then having as many eyes away from the main part of Dorking would've helped.

One question - does anyone know if any of her friends were home alone that night? Could that have had anything to do with the date she chose to leave if she knew she had somewhere to go for a night or two?

 

[TheRockingRev]

The fact that she didn't just head off in the morning, but went to the library and hung around might suggest that she waited for someone.

IMO a friend who was tasked with picking her up on Boxhill and then driving her somewhere. The whole Boxhill thing is a big red herring, with plenty of scope to put two fingers up at her parents - fake suicide notes, the idea of suicide (pills and alcohol). Her friends have said she was a drama queen, and she was still only 15 - clever and resourceful maybe - but still only 15, and with that an immaturity that comes with it.

 

[Professor Moriarty]

IMO a friend who was tasked with picking her up on Boxhill and then driving her somewhere. The whole Boxhill thing is a big red herring, with plenty of scope to put two fingers up at her parents - fake suicide notes, the idea of suicide (pills and alcohol). Her friends have said she was a drama queen, and she was still only 15 - clever and resourceful maybe - but still only 15, and with that an immaturity that comes with it.

(Most sources say she was 16; she was in the sixth form, studying for A levels.)

I think along the same lines as you RockingRev. Yes, lots of girls might run away and liveon the streets, hang around outside London railway stations and fall in with all sorts of bad people. I think that RW planned this escape and had help, possibly from a friend who could drive and someone (perhaps the same person) who could give her somewhere to spend at least one night.

I hope that it was a school friend, rather than an older groomer-type man who exploited her, killed her and buried her. I hope she is safe.

 

[mrC]

but ruth of been running away to live on the streets she had a friend in sheifeild who could of put her up till she found a place of her own

 

[Professor Moriarty]

but ruth of been running away to live on the streets she had a friend in sheifeild who could of put her up till she found a place of her own

I meant to contrast Ruth with girls who just run away to live on the streets. She had something planned and she had assistance (I hope). Hence the trip to Boxhill, the business with the suitcase and killing time in the library instead of just leaving early in the morning to get as far away as possible before her absence was discovered.

 

[davidt]

I meant to contrast Ruth with girls who just run away to live on the streets. She had something planned and she had assistance (I hope). Hence the trip to Boxhill, the business with the suitcase and killing time in the library instead of just leaving early in the morning to get as far away as possible before her absence was discovered.

I don't think there's any real doubt that there was a significant amount of planning involved. What that planning was for is another matter again. I struggle with tne vagueness of a lot of the reporting. For example it's said that Ruth was known to frequent Box Hill. And it's left at that. How often did she go there? Did she usually go with friends or on her own. Is it known if she went there for any specific reason. How long had she been going there. For a long time or fairly recently. Had she been known to go there on her own in the dark before. I'm wondering if she may have been meeting someone there at times. But there's so little real information there's nothing really to work on.

 

[mrC]

there was contradictions in the reporting of the case she was populer she was unpopuler she was doing well at school she was struggeling at school and some of the things printed in the loclpaper seem to contradict the documentry

 

[davidt]

there was contradictions in the reporting of the case she was populer she was unpopuler she was doing well at school she was struggeling at school and some of the things printed in the loclpaper seem to contradict the documentry

Yep, I agree with that. A lot of the reporting is woolly, vague and unsourced. As for Ruth she was described as not cool and geeky. Apparently according to some she may have had a bit of an attitude at times. Obviously the situation regarding her mother caused her troubles. When you look at her life what do you see? She was in the sixth form doing A levels, so reasonably bright. Was a church goer, played the organ (presumably she could play the piano as well). Did handbell ringing, sang in the choir and enjoyed playing the guitar. She had at least one boyfriend and a circle of friends. Took part in flower arranging competitions. She had a part time job in a music shop and was a popular local babysitter. It's hardly the picture of a social misfit or outcast is it? As for her day to day relationship with her father and stepmother, that's pretty unclear as well.

 

[mrC]

the most confusing was the local paper said she went in to town with friends but in the doc she went into town alone now both cant be true

 

[Officer Dibble]

She was 15, and probably wasn't looking just to run away to live on the streets. IMO she was looking to start a new life, and if so then would need help. I don't believe her disappearing was a spur of the moment thing, it was planned over a period and there were likely one or two friends who were helping her.

I agree.

 

[mrC]

the doc ery missleading in the facts that it dipicts everything happening in daylight

 

[TheRockingRev]

Yep, I agree with that. A lot of the reporting is woolly, vague and unsourced. As for Ruth she was described as not cool and geeky. Apparently according to some she may have had a bit of an attitude at times. Obviously the situation regarding her mother caused her troubles. When you look at her life what do you see? She was in the sixth form doing A levels, so reasonably bright. Was a church goer, played the organ (presumably she could play the piano as well). Did handbell ringing, sang in the choir and enjoyed playing the guitar. She had at least one boyfriend and a circle of friends. Took part in flower arranging competitions. She had a part time job in a music shop and was a popular local babysitter. It's hardly the picture of a social misfit or outcast is it?

Although I sort of agree, it depends on your definition of misfit and outcast. You can do all of those things, be bubbly, outgoing - but if you don't fit in with certain cliques in school, then you are seen as a misfit. I'm not knocking anyone's interests or hobbies (I was a little geeky) but if some kids don't view you as cool then you will be outcast from those social circles, and they can make your life a bit of a chore.

You can exist in a different clique, but just not with the cool kids (not wanting to get into this too much - being with the cool kids is never a real friendship, it's all very superficial) and that maybe is where Ruth was in her social world. This is all by the by though, as there doesn't seem to have been any reports about her being bullied at school.

As for her day to day relationship with her father and stepmother, that's pretty unclear as well.

This IMO is the key - I don't think we have ever had the full picture here, and I think this relationship is behind the whole thing.