Police renew appeal for information over 2005 disappearance of Sydney man Simon Knight

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a day ago

Police are appealing once again for information 20 years to the day since Sydney man Simon Knight disappeared from a Surry Hills hotel.
Mr Knight was 32 when he was last seen at a Crown Street hotel on the morning of July 21, 2005, with few clues leading detectives to what happened to the aspiring chef.
He was soon reported missing to police by his parents after not showing up to a shift at a Newtown cafe later that same day.
Despite a reward increase from $100,000 to $250,000 in 2020, no information has shed light on Mr Knight in the years since he vanished.
On Monday his father Bob Knight gave a heartfelt plea in a bid to help find his son.
"The family is still waiting, we're hoping one day we will get the answers and closure.
"So please if you know anything, please get in touch with the police or Crime Stoppers."
While Mr Knight's case was not part of the inquiry, it was referenced in the NSW legislative council's 2021 final report into gay and transgender hate crimes between 1970 and 2010.
The report stated when his parents first reported him missing, an officer told them: "Gays go missing all the time … he'll turn up."
It added a 2013 magazine article quoted a police officer from Redfern claiming that "despite conjecture that [Mr Knight] may have contracted HIV, he was believed to be alive and well".
A coroner in 2015 concluded that Mr Knight was believed to be dead, though the circumstances are unknown.
When his parents were granted permission to see the review into his case at Kings Cross Police Station in 2019, they were only given 15 minutes before "they felt the attending officer getting impatient so they left", the report stated.
"Later on we've had good support, in regard to that in the early stage, yes that was the case," Mr Knight's father said.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Police Minister Yasmin Catley said his disappearance had shattered his loved ones.
"His disappearance has left a devastating void in this family, the disappearance of a loved one leaves a void in every family and this family is no different," she said.
"And there are no answers as to what happened to Simon on that night. This family have been grieving now for two decades, 20 years, it's a long time.
"It may be the case with the passage of time you feel more comfortable coming forward."
South Sydney Police Area Commander Chris Hill said the items Mr Knight was last seen with — a camera and a bike — have never been found.
Sharing memories of her brother, Mr Knight's sister Francis said the loss had been "massive".
"Simon and I were your typical siblings, we fought all the time we also had a lot of fun," she said.
"The loss of him has been massive, he's never met my girls.
"I'd love to just fight with him again … we lost such an important person in our life. A little bit of the fun went with him as well."