Missing Persons, fact and fiction with DI Andy Horton
Those of you who have read the Inspector Andy Horton crime novels will know that Andy's mother, Jennifer, abandoned him when he was ten years old. He was told that she had run off with a lover. Traumatized by her desertion, and the callous comments from those who looked after him in care along with taunts from the kids at school, he has tried to put his hurt and anger behind him. He finally succeeds with the help of his last and loving foster parents and his marriage to Catherine and the birth of their daughter, Emma. But all that is about to change.
In the first in the series, THE PORTSMOUTH MURDERS, Andy Horton is back in CID after an eight month suspension following a charge of gross misconduct, falsely as it turns out but the damage has been done. His marriage is over and Catherine refuses to let him see their daughter. But Andy has a point to prove, he's still a good cop and innocent of all accusations
Then in number 3 in the series THE HORSEA MARINA MURDERS, Horton discovers that there is a lot more to Jennifer's disappearance than he's been told and that over the years many people have lied to him. Her disappearance was cursorily investigated, quickly forgotten and buried and many clearly want it to remain that way. This sets Horton off on the search for the truth.
In each novel Horton unearths clues which edge him closer to finding out what really happened after she vanished on a foggy November night.
Horton’s CID patch is Portsmouth, where he also lives on board a small boat in a marina, since his estrangement from his wife, Catherine.
The University of Portsmouth Centre for the Study of Missing Persons (CSMP)
The study of missing persons is fascinating and heart-breaking.
The University of Portsmouth Centre for the Study of Missing Persons (CSMP) does a fantastic job working with researchers and other interested parties - students, academics, charities, police and relatives to communicate, research and exchange information about missing persons.
The National Crime Agency UK Missing Persons Bureau
The National Crime Agency UK Missing Persons Bureau is the UK national and international point of contact for all missing person and unidentified body investigations.
They provide support and advice to police forces in order to resolve cases and act as a hub for the exchange of information and expertise in this area.
They also maintain the national database of missing and unidentified records.
On their website there is a search facility for some of the unidentified cases to see if anyone can help establish identity.
Others who can help are:
- Missing People Lost Contact Tracing Service can assist with locating and contacting relatives who you have lost contact with.
- The British Red Cross International Tracing and Message Service provides advice on finding family members separated by conflict, disaster or migration overseas.
- The Salvation Army Family Tracing Service exists to trace relatives who have lost contact with each other, either recently or in the past.
Facts
Each year The National Crime Agency Missing Persons Bureau record around 120 unidentified cases, and has about 1,200 open unidentified cases on their database.
For 2018/2019 382,960 calls were made to the police about a missing person
The number of missing persons was recorded as 199,634 in England and Wales
The highest percentage of females who go missing are aged between 12-17 at 48.6%
The percentages for males who go missing are: aged between 0 -11years 69.2% 12- 17years 51.0% 18 - 39 years 60.4% 40 - 59 years 65.6% 60years + 63.3%
12.8% are high risk; 68.1% medium risk; 11.0% low risk and 8.1% no apparent risk
Plenty of information there and food for thought.
Pauline Rowson's gripping, entertaining crime novels full of twists and turns
If you enjoy reading gripping, fast-paced crime novels full of twists and turns, compelling and multi-layered with great characters and stories that keep you guessing right to the end then Pauline Rowson's crime novels are right up your street.
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POSTED BY: PAULINE ROWSON
MARCH 19TH, 2021 @ 6:13:47 GMT
MARCH 19TH, 2021 @ 6:13:47 GMT