‘I investigated one of Britain’s most notorious missing person cases – I never gave up’

For years, former detective Mike Barley hoped to tell Suzy Lamplugh’s parents one of two things.

“Those two lines were ‘we found one,’ or two were ‘we figured it out,'” he said.

“We would sit with Paul and Diana and we couldn’t say those two sentences. I watched them grow older over the years and I kept telling them, ‘I’m sorry, there’s nothing new.'”

It’s been forty years since 25-year-old estate agent Suzy left her Fulham office to meet a client called “Mr Kipper” and never returned. He was declared legally dead in 1993.

His parents died without an answer to one of Britain’s most notorious missing persons cases, which will be shelved within 12 months.

Suzy’s disappearance inspired family friends Mary Asprey and Janet Newman to set up the charity Missing People. Mr Barley described this as one of the few positives to come out of the case.

Independent It joined forces with the charity in November to help launch SafeCall, a free and confidential support service designed to spread awareness of missing children and keep young people safe.

Thanks to the support of our readers and the support of former prime minister Sir Keir Starmer, former footballer Sir David Beckham, missing Madeleine’s mother Kate McCann and many more, the helpline was launched in January after raising an incredible £165,000.

Mr Barley, who worked on the Lamplugh investigation for 12 years as a Met Police detective chief inspector, recently published the book. Suzy Lamplugh: The Inside Story of Britain’s Most Notorious Missing Person Investigation.

he said Independent He explains that he has always lived in hope of getting answers about Suzy’s family, and says that in his 25-year career, no case has stuck with him more than hers.

At around 10:30 p.m. on July 28, 1986, he was going to bed when another detective called his landline.

“‘Mike, there’s a missing person here, it doesn’t feel right. You’d better come in and meet me on Stevenage Road,'” he said to Mr Barley.

When he arrived he found Suzy’s white Ford Fiesta abandoned, the driver’s door open, the handbrake on, her purse still in the door pocket and her keys missing.

That day, he was supposed to meet the mystery customer at a nearby property on Shorrolds Road.

“By the end of the first day, we knew that Suzy left her office around 12.40pm, her car was found at 10.01pm and she had not been seen since,” he said.

“In fact, 40 years later we still only know the same three things.”

John Cannan remains the prime suspect in the case but died in prison in 2024 and was never charged.

In October 1987 he was arrested for the murder of newlywed Shirley Banks from Bristol, whose Mini was found in her garage, repainted and fitted with a fake number plate SLP386S.

“The inference was that the letters SLP stood for Suzy Lamplugh,” Mr Barley said.

In what he describes as his most memorable moment in the investigation, he went to meet Cannan in prison in 1990, who had been imprisoned for Banks’ murder the previous year.

“I said, ‘So why did you choose these? [numberplate] ‘Are you going to write the letters in this particular order, John?’ He said: ‘Let me tell you something about that car, it belongs to a businessman from Bristol and he is the man who killed Suzy Lamplugh, Shirley Banks and another girl.’

“’Were you that man, John?’ I said. He said, ‘Yes,’ and then he said, ‘No, no, no, I met him.’ I don’t know who he is. I met him’.

“I firmly believe that even in the shortest moment of time John Cannan was telling the truth.”

Mr. Barley tried to recreate the moment, but it was gone forever. He believes Cannan is responsible for Suzy’s kidnapping and murder, but says his “belief is not proof and there is a big gap between suspicion and evidence.”

Gilly Paige, one of Cannan’s girlfriends, claimed he later took her to Norton Barracks in Worcestershire and told her Suzy was buried there. He later denied confessing to her murder.

Mr Barley called for his forces to search the area at the time, but no search was carried out.

Following further information and investigation of the case, police launched a search of the site in 2000 but found no evidence.

But Mr Barley said police were searching the wrong area and the correct area had already been developed into a housing estate.

“Suzy was never born as a case to be investigated,” he said. “He must be 65, probably has a family and maybe grandchildren. He missed all of that. His family is still suffering, grieving.”

He said Missing People was a “much needed” charity and “one of the really good things to come out of this tragic event.”

Interim CEO Ross Miller said: “Suzy’s disappearance was the catalyst for something that continues to make a difference today. “When Suzy disappeared, there was no support for families with a missing loved one and no way for a missing person to reach help safely.

“Inspired by the search for Suzy, sisters Mary Asprey and Janet Newman and a team of volunteers founded what later became Missing People, creating a lifeline for people facing the unimaginable. Today, Missing People continues the same mission.”

Following her disappearance, Suzy’s family established the Suzy Lamplugh Foundation to promote women’s safety.

On Tuesday, it launched a campaign calling for urgent action to ensure victims of stalking, harassment and abuse have appropriate protection and access to justice.

In a statement released through the charity organisation, his family said: “As always described, he was a truly beautiful person, inside and out.

“A few months after her disappearance, our parents founded the Suzy Lamplugh Foundation with the vision of helping create a world where everyone can live free from violence, aggression and fear.”

Met Police detective chief inspector Teresa Foster said: “The investigation into the disappearance and murder of Suzy Lamplugh remains open and is one of the oldest cases at the Met.

“They have shown extraordinary strength despite everything they have endured, and we will never lose hope that we can find the answers they deserve.”

Please donate now To the Independent and Lost People Safe Search The campaign raised £165,000 to create a free nationwide service to help vulnerable children find safety and support.

If you or a loved one goes missing, get in touch for advice, support and options safecall.org.uk

The Suzy Lamplugh Foundation invites people to get involved And donate him #40YearsShouldHaveBeenEnough campaign.