POLICE have issued a renewed appeal for information relating to a missing persons investigation which was launched 34 years ago.
West Midlands Police says it is continuing to appeal for any information on the whereabouts of Jayson Duffy, from Coventry, who was 18 years old when he went missing in October 1989.
Jayson was living with his parents at the time but was visiting Amsterdam with four associates as part of a marketing exercise.
Essex Police confirmed on the social media platform X that Jayson has connections to Braintree.
West Midlands Police are appealing for the public's help with an ongoing missing persons investigation with connections to #Braintree. https://t.co/A4Qgu3o4Bf
— Essex Police (@EssexPoliceUK) January 2, 2024
He had been drinking with two of his associates when he was last seen in the Cafe de Burgh, the force said.
A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: “We know he was in the bar late that night and within a couple of minutes of the last sighting of him, the people he was with noticed he was missing.
“He did not return to his hotel and there were no further sightings.
“Although Amsterdam has an extensive canal network, including directly outside the bar, no body has ever been found and no witnesses have ever reported seeing anyone fall in at that time.
“While we cannot rule out criminal activity, there were no witnesses or evidence of anything happening to Jayson of a criminal nature.”
The investigation into Jayson’s disappearance was re-opened in 2022 after his family made extensive media appeals, but the case, which is one of West Midlands Police’s longest-running missing person cases, remains unsolved.
“We are still hoping someone out there will know what happened to Jayson and may have seen him if he returned to the UK,” the spokesman added.
When he was last seen, Jayson, who is mixed race with curly afro-style hair, was wearing a cream or white coloured crewneck jumper, blue tracksuit bottoms, and white trainers.
He is also understood to have a brown marking on the white of his right eye and a scar on his right index finger.
Officers investigating the case have urged anyone who may have information about Jayson's disappearance to get in touch with West Midlands Police by calling 0121 626 7003.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here