Exclusive:
Claudia Lawrence was last seen on March 18, 2009, after she did a shift at a University of York canteen. She was reported missing two days later leading to a murder investigation being launched
The mum of missing chef Claudia Lawrence is distraught that the 16th anniversary of her disappearance is about to pass with little police progress on the case.
Claudia, 35, was last seen on March 18, 2009, when she did her usual shift at a University of York canteen. CCTV picked her up on the way home and she spoke to her parents on the phone that night – but she did not turn up for work next morning. North Yorkshire Police have conducted two investigations and questioned nine people but no charges have ever been brought and mum Joan is critical of the force.
She said: “I think the police have one line of inquiry and they aren’t prepared to listen to anything else.” Joan, 81, said her hopes were raised briefly when she had a meeting with a new senior investigating officer, Jon Sygrae, two weeks ago. But she admitted: “I was disappointed. The conversations always go the same way.
“It’s all about what they are doing. It’s never about how I feel or any new lines of inquiry. It makes me think they only have one idea of what happened to my daughter and are not willing to listen to any other explanations.
“I always get the impression they aren’t telling me everything. I know this is a police investigation and they must be careful but I always feel they are holding something back.” The last conversation Joan had with her daughter is etched in her memory.
She said: “It was a very normal mother and daughter conversation about what we had been up to and our plans to meet up.” But two days later Claudia’s elder sister, Ali, learned in a phone call that Claudia was missing, with the police involved.
The missing person inquiry later became a murder investigation and Joan added: “I would never have imagined we would still be in this situation 16 years down the line. It’s beyond cruel.”
To mark the anniversary of her disappearance tomorrow, Joan is planning to buy a bunch of purple tulips, Claudia’s favourite flowers, and go for a walk. Joan, of Malton, North Yorks, added of Mother’s Day later this month: “I will spend the day with Ali, her husband and my grandsons. But there will be a missing place at the table.”
Joan has not given up hope of finding answers about Claudia’s disappearance. She said: “I would appeal for anyone who might have any information at all to come forward. I have to know what’s happened to my daughter.”
