Andrew Gosden

Andrew Gosden, with no obvious problems weighing him down, and who would leave a note if went around the corner. He also had a 100 per cent school attendance record. On September 14 2007, Andrew left his house to catch a bus to school. On that Friday morning, however, he had no intention of going to school. Instead, he walked to a park and waited until 8.30am, when he knew that his parents would have left for work. Andrew then returned home and changed out of his uniform, leaving his blazer hanging from the back of a bedroom chair and placing his shirt and trousers in the washing machine. He withdrew £200 from his bank account, walked to the local train station and boarded a train to London. He did not bring any clothes with him, and wore nothing over his Slipknot t-shirt. He did bring a PSP, but not its charger. 27 days later, 3 frames of CCTV footage [1] confirmed he had reached London, and showed him leaving King's Cross Station. Unfortunately, by this time, CCTV footage of the surrounding area had been deleted, and no trace of Andrew has been found since. When he purchased his train ticket, the seller informed him that a return ticket was just 50p more; Andrew insisted he only wanted a single ticket. This led to suspicion that he was meeting someone in London.

However, He did not have a phone or email address, and searches of home, library and school computers turned up nothing to suggest he had planned anything. A man, who would not give his identity, went to Leominster Police Station claiming to have information about Andrew. By the time an officer arrived to take details, the man had left. One of Andrew’s favourite television shows was The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin, in which Perrin fakes his death so he can start life anew. Searches of the Thames river for Andrew's body turned up nothing. His father went to a Muse concert (one of Andrew's favourite bands) in search of him, but also found nothing.

Andrew's parents put more money in his emptied bank account, in case he needed more. This was never touched.

Is anyone in this sub subscribed to their paid content & have they had a chance to listen to this episode yet?

I've been following this for close to a decade and a half. It kills me seeing Andrew's family get older without resolution not knowing what happened to their son that day.

I had so much hope a few years ago when the police announced those arrests. Unfortunately it was a false alarm. Besides that and a few internet rumours that were dead ends there's literally nothing to go on in this case.

If nobody else was really involved in Andrew's disappearance then I fear we will never get a resolution to this case unless he is found.

If Andrew was seen in Pizza Hut. Why didn’t they check any cctv cameras around the area

Hello all I have been reading posts here for a few months now. I am from the states and have been interested in Andrew's case for a while after reading about it several years ago. Recently here I have been seeing that one of the more popular theories is the Andrew was groomed. I was wondering if this has been mentioned in the British media as everything I have read tends to say that Andrew did not have a digital presence. Now this isn't to say that he absolutely did not have one, as I'm sure if the police in the UK operate like they do in the states a lot of time they have more knowledge and will withhold knowledge for something called here as "Guilt Knowledge" (something only the police a perpetrator know). So I am just curious that if the police in the UK truly did not find an online presence from Andrew why the grooming theory seems to be gaining more popularity.

Today, I had a possible sighting. I know the chances of it being Andrew Gosden are very, very slim but I was so sure that I made sure I clocked the time and direction of travel. I umm'd and ahh'd for about 10 minutes and decided to call this is on 101 but switchboard but me straight through to a call handler in the police.

Now I feel really silly because I know chances of it being Andrew are really unlikely. But the person I saw actually made my stomach drop because they looked so similar. White male approx late 30s-40 with chin length hair walking near the Miller and Carter pub on the main road near Doncaster (Great Yorkshire Way).

I just thought I'd let people know just in case they are in the area and have maybe seen someone matching this description.

I know chances are slim but I just couldn't shake the feeling.

Hi all,

I am just bringing awareness to a post by u/kingjoffreysmum. They have shared a story and some esoteric knowledge about a loophole in sex offender registering in the UK. The original post is linked here, and reads as follows:

"I think this area is plausible; particularly the canal area. I once had a discussion with someone who informed me that a lot of sex offenders live on the canals because you can disappear quite easily; you might have to sign the register in one borough on day 1, then move your barge over the other side of the canal wall for the other 29 days. It also means that pending charges take a while to catch up; if you’re straddling multiple boroughs, which local authority takes it on? A lot of offenders slip through the cracks.

I walked the London canals a few years back as part of a hobby project thing with a mate and honestly… some of it (despite being in technically ‘busy’ areas, like massive flyovers running over the top of these canal ways) feels really quite oppressive and eerie. Lots of overgrowing vegetation hanging over the canal etc. I was glad to be with someone, as I think a person alone could get into trouble there and not be heard, even in broad daylight. Especially in broad daylight on a weekday, actually.".

When I saw this post I did some sleuthing on Google to see if this was genuinely happening. I was very surprised to see that this is a well known issue with news articles covering stories, like this one, for the last 20-years.

Even the hobbyist community for yachting and narrowboats seem to have information and knowledge that this has been occurring for several decades. There is suggestion that the police have been aware of this for some time.

https://narrowboatworld.com/9296-canal-based-paedophile-ring-exposed

"Though the investigating detective, John Wedger, was threatened by his superiors that he would be 'thrown to the wolves' if he spoke out, he has done so, with the Independent Police Complaints Commission now investigating a string of cover-up allegations...It has been discovered that scores of sex offenders are living on narrowboats, with DC Wedger telling the inquiry: "I found a lot of paedophiles were going off the radar. There was a loophole in the law that allowed them to live on canal boats without being on the electoral register."...When he identified the sex offenders he tells that he was taken off the case.".

Looking into some hobbyist forums there is several discussions about prominent figures in the canal boating community being aware of known pedophiles and sex offenders being employed in the boating industry surrounding narrowboats. In no way am I implying any of the people or businesses are explicitly linked to AG's disappearance I am merely pointing out that figures with perceived questionable conduct were known to frequent around canals and the narrowboat community.

https://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?/topic/91121-richard-sailletmr-canalshop-jailed-for-eight-years-for-violent-sexual-assault/page/2/

"He had three online moorings adjacent to the shop in a row nose to tail with no other boats or people within shouting distance after shop hours, with me in the middle. He was moored on the one side of me, and for a while (although not at the time that I left-he had been booted out for being too gobby about the shit ... got up to) moored on the other side was a convicted sex offender. He also had a friendship/business dealings with a man that I in no way ironically refer to as the devil, who had previously physically threatened me over (no seriously) my asking him to return a plate he had borrowed.

When I was eventually told that the guy behind me is a convicted sex offender who has to sign in but please don't tell anyone, I confronted ... about mooring me (a single woman) next to him, knowing that the only way off my boat was past his, and that often he and I were the only ones there."

... asked me why I was worried about being moored next a paedophile given that I was hardly in his target demographic (I did not know until that point that the guy had been convicted of child sex offences) and finished off with something along the lines of "and look at you, you should be so lucky anyway."

While the publication "The Sun" might have a reputation for being a rag and the paper being worth more than the words printed on it, they have reported in 2016 that police were battling with keeping up with sex offenders living on barges on the UK canal system. The below seems quite sensationalised and should be taken with enough salt to cause high blood pressure. Though, lets take it in the context of its knowledge about the issue.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/1896788/did-cops-cover-up-investigation-into-sick-child-sex-offenders-who-lived-on-barges-to-avoid-detection/

"Detective Constable John Wedger claims his enquiry into offenders living on barges was pulled, vice squad officers were ordered not to arrest underage prostitutes and he says bosses made threats over his report on a London child prostitute ring involving someone connected to the BBC music department... He said: “It was like someone had set a pit bull on me. He told me he was taking me off and shutting it down... A Met spokesman said the force was aware of “various allegations” made by a detective constable which were being assessed by its Professional Standards Directorate..."

It would even appear that previously convicted sex offenders were reoffending while seeking refuge on barges and narrowboats evading the registration system.

https://www.ybw.com/news-from-yachting-boating-world/search-sex-offender-links-british-canal-system-23116

"Crabb, who is 53, is wanted on a recall to prison. He was last seen in Uxbridge, Middlesex... He is alleged to have breached these conditions by failing to notify the police of a change of address...He has also in the past sought refuge on barges, and has links to the British canal system.".

Another example of a known child sex offender using a houseboat to evade the register and its effects in a similar fashion.

https://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/news/crime/blackpool-paedophile-dodged-police-on-ps60k-houseboat-trip-640730

"A court heard how 66-year-old Andrew Yeoman served a five-year jail term in France for sex offences against youngsters in what was then his home near Angouleme, in the south of France.

On release he was deported to the UK and lived on Blackpool Prom where he was immediately placed on the Sex Offender’s Register.

Yeoman, whose £60,000 narrowboat is currently moored in Salthouse Dock, Liverpool, near to the Merseyside Police headquarters, admitted breaching the terms of his Sex Offenders’ order by not notifying police about his whereabouts.

Pam Smith, prosecuting, said: “Over a long period of time he prevented the police managing him as a sex offender.”

“For three years he has been travelling the canals of the UK until someone alerted police to him.”.

It looks like this is not something that is isolated to London. It appears to be a common loophole in the whole of the UK and has been exploited quite extensively. This article from 2003 explores the issue in the context of Northwich.

https://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/news/5244825.no-place-to-hide-for-canal-barge-sex-beasts/

"A loophole in the present law means sex offenders, including paedophiles, who have no fixed abode do not have to give their addresses to police to sign the register because in effect, they do not have an address...As the law currently stands, sex offenders have 48 hours in which to register with police when they move into new area but those living on barges and boats can simply move on without having to inform the authorities...In effect, they have become invisible to police, who have had great difficulty in keeping tabs on their movements.".

Within this same article there is mention of the "Sexual Offenders Act 1997", which "...the Home Office said: Clause 85 of the sexual offences law was put before Parliament in February of this year.". I did some research into this legislation and found what looks like an academic paper talking about the changes to the legislation in question that came sometime in or after 2003 (links to a .PDF). Among the subheading "Key Changes" it does not appear to be any change or provision that aims to deal with transient, homeless or individuals living on a narrowboat or barge. Though there seems to be some consideration with these following changes.

https://www.unafei.or.jp/publications/pdf/RS_No72/No72_11VE_Middleton3.pdf

"Offenders will have to notify any address in the UK at which they reside for seven days or more, whether that is seven days consecutive or seven days within any 12 month period (the current period is 14 days)."

"All offenders will have to re-confirm their notified details annually (“periodic notification”)."

"All notifications will have to be made in person and the police may take fingerprints and photographs at initial notification, whenever an offender notifies any changes to his details and at periodic notification."

Most recently, between October 2018 and April 2019 there appears to be a long chain of what appears to be something akin to a freedom of information request between the Independent Police Support Group and the Metropolitan Police Service regarding the death of a girl and the investigating of sex offenders using canals. This shows to me that this issue has persisted up until at least 2019 with there not being much further news after that about the issue of sex offenders using canals to evade police monitoring.

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/request_for_information_concerni_12

In conclusion, I believe this opens up the AG case as it provides a new avenue of exploring potential suspects. It is reasonable to assume that during the time of AGs disappearance that this loophole of sex offenders living on barges and narrowboats was well into practice. I would be fascinated to see what anyone else has to add or if we have any ways exploring this further.

Please let me know if I have included any incorrect information as I will edit it ASAP and provide updates. If anyone wants to add something to the conversation but does not want to post publicly please feel free to DM me for a chat.

I did try to bump the old thread but it's been locked off. I remember about a month or so back that a user in here thought they had seen a sighting of Andrew, they had reported it but haven't heard anything since. Any update?

Firstly I believe Andrew met with foul play when going to meet someone he had met online with an account that nobody knew of. It isn’t unheard of for teenagers to have an online presence under a nickname or alt name. Also in forums or online gaming (PSP) most people’s accounts are using nicknames. I believe the police should of focused the investigation around the Camden area. Camden has a large goth/heavy metal community, which Andrew had a huge interest in. I have always felt he went to meet someone he met online or at the talented students camp, and I believe he met them in Camden Town.

BBC News - Missing boy's dad praises train firm's focus on vulnerable https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2381d3777ro

Been reading a bit into this case again after a while. One thing I thought of recently was a personal experience of my own:

When I was around Andrew's age, and spending some time in London, I had a mental health episode. Late one night while walking with my grandmother along the Thames I had a panic attack which grew into a panic or anxiety disorder over the next few weeks. I would often have trouble sleeping at night, and suffered delusions. The major delusion was that I feared I would hurt people if I went to sleep, and planned opportunities to leave home/put distance between me and my family. I did contemplate suicide once in a hotel in Edinburgh a couple weeks later, but thankfully did not go through with it. My family had no idea anything was going on with me outside of increased irritability. I should note I am very well these days, and only had one similar episode a few years later.

I do know these sorts of situations are common among 10% of young boys around that age. I know this is just a personal anecdote, but I thought I would throw it out there into the mix.

Cheers.

I believe Andrew was lured into a kidnapping. The internet was fairly new at the time, with no established safety precautions, making it easy to trust a stranger. There have been multiple cases of people being lured through the internet, with some ultimately losing their lives. Sadly, I’m sure he knew he shouldn’t have been talking to a stranger online, which is likely why he deleted all his messages with the kidnapper. It seems the kidnapper gained his trust, and they arranged to meet. The kidnapper told him they would meet in London and advised him to buy a one-way train ticket, promising he’d be taken back to his house afterward.

It’s clear that Andrew knew he shouldn’t be doing this, which may explain why he deleted the messages. He waited for his parents to leave before he set out, leaving behind his charger, extra money, and even putting his clothes in the washer, which suggests he was planning to come back. He bought the train ticket and took some extra money for his day in London, probably thinking he wouldn’t need more than 200 pounds for a single day.

I imagine they planned to attend a concert or just hang out with what he believed was his “buddy.” The alleged sighting at Pizza Hut suggests he may have been walking the 50 minutes to meet his friend, as bus stations don’t always take you exactly to your destination. He may have wanted to grab a bite to eat before meeting the kidnapper.

These are the reasons why I don’t think he ran away or committed suicide. He brought his keys but left without extra clothes or other necessities. If he had committed suicide, a body would likely have been found, especially given his distinct ear marking, which would be easy to identify.

Thank you for reading. This is just my opinion on what I think happened, I most definitely left out information please feel free to leave comments correct me.

Id like to know how long the money had been in his bank account before he withdrew it.. had he been saving and depositing himself ? Was his parents aware of how much was in the account before they found out he had withdrew the £200

https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/s/Txwl5yeffm

I came across this Reddit post, and it was interesting to read and watch the links. Some boys at the event look like Andrew. In Link 1, if you go to 1:48you can see a boy in the background talking to someone, and he kind of looks like Andrew, although he seems much taller. Let me know what you all think. Also forgot to add 2:27 as well, this kid looks shorter but he is seen talking to someone. Even tho the post mentions Kevin saying he doesn’t think that’s Andrew

So I know people back then reported to have seen Andrew sleeping on benches and other places. Just curious, let’s suppose that was Andrew. Why wasn’t he able to get in contact with the police through anyone walking by or perhaps interacting with these strangers who claim to have spoken to Andrew.

Getting Andrew's case aired on Unsolved Mysteries might just jog someone's memory and bring something to light?. The story of this poor kid has haunted me since I found out about it. I just feel there isn't much I personally can do to help other than share the story when I can. Netflix is obviously an extremely popular streaming service which has millions of viewers worldwide. Getting Andrew on there along with the adult efits of him might just shine a light onto something?. Someone, somewhere might just have seen something, or heard something, no matter how small, that could help solve Andrew's case or at the very least bring some new evidence to the table. I thought about poor Andrew Gosden when I watched the episodes about missing people.

Just a thought. His family deserve some form of closure. I can't imagine what they've been through since 2007.

I still hope every day that something is found that finally brings this poor family some peace. Not knowing is the worst part, I just wish something would come to light that solved this, and the more airtime we can get Andrew, the better the chances of this will be.

Did Andrew know sign language or was taught sign language or if he knew sign language, I’m asking because In the cctv footage, he’s moving his head which could have been him trying to hear noises (possibly). I would just love to know.

Pondering why Andrew took the cash out his bank account. And I thought that maybe it's because in London he wanted to use public transport to get around large swathes of the city. Back in those days we mostly used cash in taxis and on buses, and so perhaps he withdrew all of the money just to be sure he had enough so as not to get stranded. And if Andrew did use taxis... I really hope he did not get into a fake one.

Hi. I'm fairly new to this sub, been learning about this case for a while now and just came across this subreddit.

So I know the whole story of what we know so far, and it just dawned on me. Andrew allegedly lost his phones, and if he had a phone, that means he would have had a phone number or even multiple if he had multiple phones (I believe he did?). It does make me wonder if anything would come of it if the police attempted to trace his old phone numbers. I would say it's worth a possibility, who knows what he had in that bag. We ONLY know he had his PlayStation Portable and keys. I believe the chances of anything coming of it would be near zero if they did try to trace his phone numbers. All speculation of course, I'm not saying Andrew had a phone with him on the day he disappeared. Curious to see what other people think. Thanks!

I have been fascinated by Andrew's story for years. I enjoy reading the comments on this sub, but often feel like speculation is met with so much disagreement among the redditors. Which is understandable and we all just want to know what happened that day.

I know that Kevin Gosden is aware of this sub and has referenced how frustrating the speculation can be, particularly when the family have tried everything they could possibly think of to find their son. It becomes so difficult to type something here without speculating, even using the smallest details of Andrew's story. It is also very difficult to type something which isn't a repeate of a previous post, as I am sure will probably be the same with my own post today!

I believe the only common goal a group of the general public could reach, at this stage, is to generate enough interest to raise further awareness amongst members of the public who aren't aware of Andrew's story.

My question - What is the best way to raise awareness of Andrew's story, giving maximum opportunity of getting the age enhanced photographs out there?

I watched a bit about this last night and there was something that puzzled me. If Andrew knew London well as most people say then why when he exited the train station was he looking around a lot as if to look for someone? He seems to look both ways a lot? Someone who knows the area well would surely just head in The direction they know?

The other thing I find confusing is that London is the one city with probably the highest levels of cctv yet no other cameras saw his movements once he left the station? I find they very hard to believe.

The other thing I think a lot have people may have spoken about is trouble at home, although the picture is painted of a good family life the purchase of a one way ticket says very different. There seems to be more than meets the eye there. A happy child/teenager doesn’t just leave a loving home for complete uncertainty surely?

These were just some observations I noticed about the case. Sorry if they have already been gone over

Hi,

I’m a 25 year old guy from the Balkans (southeast Europe). I’ve just learned about Andrew via a post on X (can post the link if you guys want it) and I just can’t sit at a place. It’s so unfortunate that the technology wasn’t there when this case happened because with all the stuff that we have now, the chances of finding him would be much, much higher. When I was a teen, I used to read cases like this, but I stopped because they were draining me mentally due to not being solved (so much pressure in my head). Now that I’ve come across Andrew’s case, all those feelings have flooded back. UK people - is the case cold? do you see his posters anymore? is he mentioned in the national news?

Andrew, if you are reading this and did this in purpose, I understand you. However, you’ve made so much damage to your family, relatives and people across the world. I hope you at least are alive, healthy and safe.

Ladbible on Facebook has run the Andrew story on there page currently at 4k reactions and hundreds of comments every little helps u never know it cud jog someone's memory...if ur on Facebook and follow ladbible ur reaction or comment will push it higher in the algorithm...I hope I get to post this as every post of mine gets took down straight away across all groups for some reason...thanks guys

Has anybody ever asked about his friends at his school? I'm new to this rabbit hole and from what I can tell, that's an area that feels like it's been ignored. Nothing anywhere about how he was treated in school or if he had any friends suggest or dare him to do anything.