Latest news with #AnswersforClaudia
Daily Mirror
21-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
'My housemate is still missing - statistically one of us is probably behind it'
The former close friend of Claudia Lawrence says it's understandable to believe one of the missing chef's pals could be behind her vanishing more than 15 years ago Missing Claudia Lawrence's former pal and housemate says that "statistically it probably is one of us" behind the chef's disappearance. Jen King, 40, says she is not surprised police suspected Claudia's friends and acquaintances but points out she has repeatedly proved her innocence. Claudia was 35 when she failed to turn up for work at the University of York in March 2009. She has not been seen or heard from since despite a massive police operation. Her phone, hair straighteners, rucksack and chef's whites, were all missing. Detective Superintendent at North Yorkshire Police, Dai Malyn, in 2015 said: 'I'm still convinced people close to Claudia have told us lies'. Later in the case four men were later arrested then released but after a file was sent to the Crown Prosecution Service no charges were ever brought due to a 'lack of evidence'. Many more of her friends were quizzed by police, including Jen, who spoke to Tom McDermott from the 'Answers for Claudia' podcast. She told him how she is now 'obsessed' about her own security after being the victim of a stalker. She described being questioned by police as 'traumatic' but understands why they were convinced answers about her disappearance could come from someone who knew Claudia. She said: 'I understand why the police did what the police were doing because statistically it should have been one of us, statistically it probably is one of us. All I can say is hand on heart it's not me. " Former barmaid Jen and university chef Claudia were close friends who once lived together on York's Heworth Road. Jen worked at the nearby Nag's Head pub, which was at the centre of Claudia's social life and only a few yards from the missing woman's front door. The pair would often go out into York city centre at the weekend and said Claudia hated walking anywhere, always insisting on getting a taxi. Jen says of her treatment by police and those on social media since her friend went missing: 'You just lose trust in the people around you. Undercover police officers, they pretended to be our friend. They had a job to do, I got it, it's fine, all we did is prove our innocence. ' About social media 'cruelty' she has suffered, she said: 'I don't really care if people think that I am something to do with it, because I get - statistically - everything points to us. I get that! It's more when people get abusive or try and take things too far, take things into their own hands. 'I feel so cast adrift. I just almost want to put my head under the blanket and just wake up from this f***ing nightmare... "I started off being a victim of crime, being one of Claudia's friends and then became a suspect and then I was just another person on the street, and that's it. 'When you've proven your innocence, which I've done more than once…you don't get a sorry letter, when they've searched your house and tipped it all upside down, they don't send in a cleaning crew to put it all back together again. 'They don't give you that time back when you've been separated from your loved ones because they've had to go and answer questions in one place and I've had to go answer questions in another place. 'They've taken my car, they've taken my work stuff. I couldn't work for two months because they took all my work equipment. I was on the verge of moving because I just couldn't settle in that house any more. 'It was pretty horrific, the impact of even when you've proved your innocence that you are still made to feel you have something to be guilty for when you don't. "I have never been through anything - other than Claudia going missing - more traumatic than the police investigation.' She told the Answers for Claudia podcast she has been obsessed about her security since Claudia vanished. 'I myself have been through varying degrees of trauma and coping mechanisms…I've definitely become obsessed with security over things, I'm really funny with door locks and making sure that things are secure. '...Just knowing that people talk about it and not necessarily in a nice way, you just never quite know who to trust. I did have a stalker at one point, which is horrendous. I was living on my own at the time. I knew that this person kept travelling to the area, kept taking pictures outside my house, would stand on my driveway and would turn up at my local pub. The social media sites are doing nothing to protect us.' Jens told journalist Tom McDermott about the last time she saw Claudia, she explained it was days before her pal vanished after a night out in the Nag's Head a few properties away from Claudia's terraced home. Jen said: 'I suppose the last time I saw her, me and my boyfriend at the time, we'd all been drinking in the pub and not surprisingly she hadn't put the spring key fob into her handbag and so she was rooting around for her key, as we were waiting for her at the end of the gate just to make sure she got in safe. 'And then we went home and that was the last time I ever really saw her. I heard from her again, we text during that week.' But she added: 'It's nice to know the last time I ever saw her I was doing what I thought was the right thing and making sure she was safe.'
Daily Mail
29-04-2025
- Daily Mail
Claudia Lawrence's 'shellshocked' mother discovers her missing daughter's home has been broken into twice after revelations about secret attic
The grieving mother of missing chef Claudia Lawrence claims her daughter's home has been broken into after she revealed new evidence was found in the property. Claudia , 35, vanished without a trace after failing to turn up to work at the University of York's Goodricke College on March 19, 2009. Multiple men were arrested – then released. A lake near her home was emptied in the search for her body. Yet Claudia has never been found. Despite an extensive investigation, her case remains a mystery and has become one of Britain's most well-known unsolved missing person cases. Joan Lawrence, 81, believes that the intruders targeted her daughter's home on two occasions after she she found a secret attic that could contain new evidence about her disappearance. The discovery was made alongside journalist and 'Answers for Claudia' podcaster Tom McDermott on January 3. A tiny attic hatch was found in a built-in wardrobe inside Claudia's bedroom as well as a tissue and a packet of half used chewing gum inside a black leather jacket, which they hoped would contain DNA clues. However, a few days after the release of the podcast which detailed the findings Mrs Lawrence was left 'absolutely shellshocked' to discover that someone may been inside the house. The mother claimed that an internal door she 'meticulously' locks was left wide open and the home's front door lock was scratched and bent. She added that a shelf unit had been moved, clothes had been taken from Claudia's wardrobe and that the attic hatch had been 'tampered' with. Mrs Lawrence said: 'I got one hell of a shock. I still don't know how they got in. It makes me feel a bit creepy going there on my own, that somebody's been in. 'I will go in daylight. It's made me really nervous and I can't go in the house on my own now.' Mr McDermott told the Mirror that he was also 'shaken' by the incident and that someone has been 'rattled' by their discovery. Speaking to the Mirror, Tom said: 'Somebody has been here, twice! That's very disturbing and it's frightening because Joan is now visiting this house on a regular basis knowing someone else has been there. 'It looks like a professional job because there's no break in through a window, or damage to the doors, it's either somebody who has a key or who knows how to break into houses. I think the disturbance was nothing to do with the loft but more to do with clothing and that tissue.' Both Mrs Lawrence and Mr McDermott have made reports to police about the incidents but North Yorkshire Police are yet to visit the premises to investigate. These developments have been disclosed in a podcast, Answers For Claudia, hosted by Mr McDermott, who grew up in Claudia's native Malton and who has formed a friendship with Mrs Lawrence. For two years they have worked to try to, what Mr McDermott describes as, 'move the dial' on what happened to Claudia. She went missing from her home on the outskirts of York on March 19, hours after CCTV had recorded her walking to her home in Heworth from her shift as a catering chef at the University of York. That night, she spoke to both her parents at 8.30pm and told them she planned to get up at 5am to walk into work. She was reported missing after failing to show up or to meet her friend Suzy Cooper at the local pub, or to answer calls. The next day her father Peter Lawrence used his keys to enter her cottage to find Claudia's bed made and a few dirty dishes in the sink. Only her chef's whites, mobile phone – which data later showed had never left the area, and was switched off some hours after she failed to turn up for work – and hair straighteners were missing. It would take police another six weeks to undertake a full forensic search of the house. What ensued was a search costing more than £1.5million, with hundreds of officers working to piece together what happened to the chef. Mrs Lawrence still habours hope her daughter is alive and believes she had found new evidence after following a lead from a van driver called Dave who recalled seeing Claudia in a leather jacket while driving north with a friend on the A1M on Wednesday, March 18. 'Baffled by what she could be doing there, he pulled over and called the police, fearful that it may be a scam in which the woman forced drivers to stop only for vehicles to be robbed,' he said. He thought no more about it however, until a few days later he saw the missing Claudia's face on the television. 'I saw this face pop up on the news and it said it was a woman missing from York and I was just sitting there. 'I said to my wife, 'That's the woman off the A1, that's her'.' He contacted police but believes it was not followed up. While searching for the leather jacket, Mrs Lawrence came across the hidden attic which she claims has since been broken into. It is also believed that the tissue they'd found had been taken too, along with four items of Claudia's clothes. Although she wants the new area to be searched after the bombshell revelation, she said she doesn't want police inside the property as she has 'lost all faith and trust in them'. She has vowed 'never' to give North Yorkshire Police the keys to Claudia's home saying the last time officers searched the property they left it a 'mess'. Podcast producer Mark Sandell, said: 'There are encouraging signs that we are going to generate some answers for Mrs Lawrence. 'The police and Tom are talking to each in a proper grown-up way. People are still coming forward with information. And we've clearly rattled somebody who has been into this house.' A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said: 'We've been made aware of Mrs Lawrence's concerns that some items have been moved inside the property. 'We have contacted Mrs Lawrence to discuss this, but as yet we have not been given access to the property, which would allow us to investigate further. 'As always, we continue to assess the information we receive in relation to the disappearance and suspected murder of Claudia, and we urge members of the public to pass on anything that could assist the investigation. We're also committed to engaging with and supporting Claudia's family in any way we can.' The disappearance of Claudia Lawrence 2009 March 18 - Miss Lawrence speaks with her parents over the phone and, at 8.23pm, sends her friend a text. She has not been seen or heard from since. March 20 - Miss Lawrence's father, Peter, contacts North Yorkshire Police after his daughter fails to keep an arrangement to meet a friend at the Nags Head pub. She also fails to attend work. March 23 - Mr Lawrence describes his daughter's disappearance as a 'living nightmare' during a news conference in York. April 24 - Detectives say that Miss Lawrence's disappearance is being treated as a suspected murder investigation. A £10,000 reward is offered for information that could lead to the conviction of those responsible. 2010 May 6 - Mr Lawrence calls for an urgent independent inquiry into the police investigation of his daughter's disappearance and suspected murder. July 29 - Police confirm they are reducing the number of officers dedicated to the inquiry into Miss Lawrence's disappearance. 2013 October 29 - A new forensic search of Miss Lawrence's home is announced as police launch a fresh review of the case. 2014 March 19 - Five years on from Miss Lawrence's disappearance, officers discover at her home the fingerprints of people who have still not come forward to the investigation. May 13 - A 59-year-old man is arrested on suspicion of murder. He is released on police bail and eventually released without charge on November 17, 2014. 2015 March 23 - A man in his 50s is arrested on suspicion of murdering Miss Lawrence and is released on police bail the following day. April 22 - Three more men, all in their 50s and from the York area, are arrested on suspicion of murder and are released on bail. September 17 - A file of evidence on four men arrested on suspicion of murder is sent by North Yorkshire Police to the Crown Prosecution service (CPS) so it can consider whether to bring charges. 2016 March 8 - Police say the CPS has decided the four men will not face charges. 2017 January 17 - Mr Lawrence says he is 'hugely depressed and disappointed' as the investigation into his daughter's disappearance is scaled down. 2019 March - Nearly a decade on from her disappearance, Miss Lawrence has still not been found. Her father says in an interview that 'it's very difficult' to conceive of her still being alive. July - The Guardianship (Missing Persons) Bill, also known as Claudia's Law, came into force. This followed years of campaigning by Mr Lawrence and allows relatives to take control of their missing loved ones' financial matters. 2021 February 15 - The death of Peter Lawrence in announced. March 18 - Speaking after taking over the police investigation, Detective Superintendent Wayne Fox said it is not too late for people to come forward and stop the 'unrelenting anguish' caused to the chef's loved ones. August 24 - A new search operation is announced at the gravel pits at Sand Hutton, about eight miles from York. The search, which takes in a lake and fields, last two weeks but police later say they have found 'nothing of obvious significance'.
Irish Daily Mirror
29-04-2025
- Irish Daily Mirror
Missing woman's home 'broken into twice after secret attic discovery'
The mother of Claudia Lawrence has expressed her shock after finding out that her missing daughter's house had been broken into not once, but twice. In a startling turn of events described as "frightening," Joan suspects that an intruder may have targeted her daughter's home following the revelation of a hidden attic and new evidence. Joan was appalled to find an internal door she always locks wide open, the front door lock scratched and bent, a shelf unit moved, clothes missing from Claudia's wardrobe, and the attic hatch damaged and tampered with. Claudia was 35 when she disappeared without a trace after failing to show up for work at York University on March 19, 2009, leading to one of the UK's largest unresolved murder cases. Her breakfast bowls were left in the kitchen sink and her slippers by the door. Since then, her home has remained untouched, with her clothes and belongings left as they were. Joan Lawrence, 81, regularly visits the house as part of the home insurance conditions. On January 3 this year, she discovered a small attic hatch hidden in a built-in wardrobe in Claudia's bedroom. She made this discovery while visiting the house with journalist and 'Answers for Claudia' podcaster Tom McDermott, reports the Mirror. The investigators also discovered a tissue and a partially used packet of chewing gum inside a black leather jacket, which they believe may hold crucial DNA evidence. However, when Joan returned to the house a few days after the podcast episode discussing the find was released and the Mirror's coverage on February 27, she was shocked to discover signs of a potential break-in. Joan recounted: "I was absolutely shell-shocked - I got one hell of a shock. I still don't know how they got in. It makes me feel a bit creepy going there on my own, that somebody's been in. I will go in daylight. It's made me really nervous and I can't go in the house on my own now." During a follow-up visit to the house with the Mirror and the podcast team on April 11, evidence of a possible second break-in was uncovered. Tom, a journalist and podcaster who has been working with Joan for two years, expressed his concern, stating that he was "shaken" and described the situation as "frightening". He told the Mirror that someone was clearly "rattled" and that he was left "speechless" by the discovery of a second potential break-in. Tom speculated: "I think someone is getting nervous out there. In episode nine, 'Moving the Dial', we revealed the attic had been found. Now we've had a double disturbance at Claudia's house. Somebody is clearly very rattled." Speaking to The Mirror at the house, Tom, who has struck up a strong friendship with Joan, says: "Somebody has been here, twice! That's very disturbing and it's frightening because Joan is now visiting this house on a regular basis knowing someone else has been there." He also mentioned to us: "It looks like a professional job because there's no break in through a window, or damage to the doors, it's either somebody who has a key or who knows how to break into houses. I think the disturbance was nothing to do with the loft but more to do with clothing and that tissue." Despite both Joan and Tom reporting each occurrence, North Yorkshire Police have not yet made an appearance at the property for an investigation, something Joan remarks does "not surprise" her. Tom revealed to us: "We've reported both incidents to the police, they want to speak to Joan and arrange a time to visit. " The Mirror has been informed that the chief detective in the case intends to visit the residence after Joan consented to a meeting. Reflecting on the recent troubles at the beginning of the year, Tom detailed how they initially discovered the attic was accessed when they visited the house following a clue given on their podcast. A certain Dave had tipped them off, claiming to have seen Claudia strolling near Wetherby on the A1 at about 3am on the morning of the 18 wearing a leather jacket. Tom recounted: "Joan suggested 'shall we go upstairs and see if there are any that match the description?' We ascended and found four leather jackets and one that could potentially be mistaken for a leather jacket. As we were examining those, I noticed the hatch and queried Joan about it, which she was unaware of. "We retrieved the jacket from the wardrobe and Joan rummaged in the pockets, discovering an Extra chewing gum packet and then exclaimed; 'Oh my God what is this?" She unearthed some used tissue evidently dating back to 2009 or whenever Claudia last donned the jacket. "". Following the discovery, a podcast was launched and a few days later, in February, they returned to the house only to encounter the first signs of suspicious activity. "We entered through the front door and found the inner back door wide open, which alarmed Joan as she hadn't left it that way. There had been a disturbance," Tom shared with us. "Joan is so meticulous that she always double checks. It was a shock." A light green dress that Claudia wore on Millennium eve, previously hung up, was now discarded on the floor. Joan emphasised her habit of 'meticulously' securing that internal door after every visit, but upon their arrival, it was "wide open". "I always shut that door and go back and check," she insisted. Then, as Joan and Tom proceeded upstairs to the bedroom to inspect for any disturbances, he relayed how she cried out: 'And that hatch was not left open. '. The attic hatch had been nudged back into the loft, "quite a way back" according to Tom, and the "piece of wood" he'd left on the attic floor, presumably a table leg, was now oddly standing upright, positioned on the right. During a recent sit-down with Joan and the podcast crew, The Mirror got an exclusive look at the attic following the unsettling break-in. It was there that Joan revealed to us the disappearance of not only the tissue they'd previously found but also four of Claudia's clothing items. Upon reaching Claudia's charming stone terrace along the bustling Heworth street, Joan recounted to The Mirror team her shock at the intrusion: "I was quite shocked to discover it had been broken into." As she prepares to unlock the door, Joan pauses, sensing something amiss with the lock, telling us it "feels different." Fumbling with the keys, she remarks: "It was absolutely solid. It wasn't like that. Because the locksmith that did this is a craftsman." Stepping inside, she immediately notices signs of tampering, pointing out scratches and a bend on the lock mechanism, asserting, "Look there's scratches on the lock and it's bent. These are women's instincts. Can you see the dent there?" She then draws attention to a small wicker bookcase by the entrance, which appears to have been jostled, suggesting someone may have bumped into it while entering. After a thorough check of the ground floor, we venture into Claudia's backyard, before ascending the bare, tack-exposed stairs. Upstairs, Joan makes another disheartening discovery – the wardrobe has been "tampered" with yet again. "There's something not right," she declares, gesturing towards the attic hatch. Tom notes that the hatch has been incorrectly replaced upside down, causing damage to its frame. Insulation material can be seen peeking out from beneath the entrance. Mark Sandell, a podcast producer who diligently records their visits using an audio boom microphone, also draws attention to the damaged wood surround of the hatch, exclaiming: "The corner's hanging off!". Joan reacts with surprise, questioning: "Wasn't it the white side? You will see on your audiotape? There's something not right." She scrutinises the clothes below and remarks: "There's something not right about this lot. There's something fallen off. There wasn't an empty hanger." Referring to the clothing shelves, she continues: "That was thinned out and it looks like someone has piled it back up again. Somebody has taken something that was on there." Tom turns to his producer from 6foot6, Mark Sandell, and queries: "We didn't leave it like that did we?" He receives confirmation: "No, we definitely didn't leave it like that." Tom recalls: "There was a piece of wood in there, a lot of insulation...I put the piece of wood to the left of the door." Joan chimes in: "There's a few empty hangers." Tom gestures towards the 3ft square entrance, adding: "That hatch was left upside down. I put it back with the white side showing not the wood..." His eyes search for a previously discovered tissue, noting: "And the tissue is missing." As Joan sifts through the large pine chest of drawers still brimming with Claudia's clothes, she remarks: "We never found her nightwear or her makeup." Joan suspects that a pair of jeans or trousers may be missing, noting: "The cupboards on the right had been disturbed. There were fewer clothes in they disturbed?". She informs The Mirror that the police don't have keys to the house and "can't get in there without me". After our departure, she asserts: "It's been tampered with. I'm a bit nervous when I come on my own now but I know I will get no protection from the police, once they used to patrol round and check if someone is coming in and out." When asked how she feels about the police not investigating, she responds: "It doesn't surprise me. I'm sad to say." Following our exit, Tom reflects on their two-year investigation: "The reaction to the podcast has been a bit overwhelming really, we have good communication with the police and the public stop us in the street to speak to Joan." Referring to the shelves of clothes, she adds: "It's more important to me than ever because every time I speak to Joan it keeps me motivated. "It's unimaginable to really understand what Joan is going through." Producer Mark comments: "I think for many people because Joan is at the centre of this podcast and it's for her, it is seen as very much the last chance. There are encouraging signs that we are going to generate some answers for Joan. The police and Tom are engaging in mature discussions. "People continue to provide information. And we've clearly unsettled someone who has entered this house," he stated. Highlighting the potential importance of the chewing gum, Mark shared that a criminologist suggested it could contain crucial DNA evidence as it's often shared among people. "My impression is that something is happening out there. We titled episode 9 'Moving the Dial', and indeed, something is shifting." Tom chimed in: "We made a promise to Joan to keep Claudia's name and memory alive throughout the year, not just on the anniversary of her disappearance or on Mother's Day. "We strive to honour that commitment. It does feel like there's a shift happening, not only in terms of the information we're receiving and our relations with the police, but also in the behaviours of some key individuals who may potentially have been involved. I believe it's unsettling someone. "I think the disturbance in the house is significant, regardless of whether it's a local person following the case or someone connected to Claudia's fate. "For me, this is a pivotal moment in our investigation. As you can see, someone has entered Claudia's house and disturbed things. Is it a message? Are they trying to communicate with us or Joan? We sense a change. We hope we're correct because Joan needs answers." A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police has commented: "We've been made aware of Mrs Lawrence's concerns that some items have been moved inside the property." They added, "We have contacted Mrs Lawrence to discuss this, but as yet we have not been given access to the property, which would allow us to investigate further." The police representative also stated, "As always, we continue to assess the information we receive in relation to the disappearance and suspected murder of Claudia, and we urge members of the public to pass on anything that could assist the investigation. "We're also committed to engaging with and supporting Claudia's family in any way we can."
Daily Record
28-04-2025
- Daily Record
Home of missing Claudia Lawrence 'hit by ghouls' after secret attic revelation
Claudia Lawrence's mum has said she is "absolutely shellshocked" after discovering her missing daughter's home has been broken into by a mystery intruder - not once but twice. Joan believes the "frightening" development may have been triggered after she revealed a secret attic and new evidence. The pensioner was horrified to discover an internal door - which she locks "meticulously" - wide open. She discovered the front door lock was also scratched and bent, and that a shelf unit had been moved, while clothes were also missing from Claudia's wardrobe. The attic hatch was also damaged and had been "tampered" with. Claudia vanished without a trace after failing to turn up to work at York University on March 19th, 2009, when she was 35. The development prompted one of the biggest unsolved murder cases in the UK. Her breakfast bowls had been left in the kitchen sink and the slippers by the door. Since then her home has been left a 'time warp' with her clothes and belongings just waiting. Joan Lawrence, 81, regularly visits the home as a condition of the house insurance and in January 3rd this year she found a tiny attic hatch tucked away in a built-in wardrobe inside Claudia's bedroom. She made the discovery after visiting the home with journalist and 'Answers for Claudia' podcaster Tom McDermott. They also found a tissue and a packet of half used chewing gum inside a black leather jacket, which they believe could hold vital DNA clues. But when Joan returned a few days after the release of the podcast episode which talked about the find and coverage in the Mirror on February 27th, she was horrified to discover someone may have been inside the two-bed house. Joan said: "I was absolutely shellshocked…I got one hell of a shock. I still don't know how they got in. It makes me feel a bit creepy going there on my own, that somebody's been in. I will go in daylight. It's made me really nervous and I can't go in the house on my own now." The Mirror joined Joan earlier this month, on April 11th, with the podcast team at the house to discuss this first break in. They discovered evidence there may have been a second raid. Journalist and 'Answers for Claudia' podcaster Tom, who has been working alongside Joan for two years, said he has also been 'shaken' by it describing it as 'frightening' and told the Mirror there was someone out there clearly 'rattled'. And he said he was further 'speechless' after finding evidence of a second break-in. 'I think someone is getting nervous out there. In episode nine in an episode called 'Moving the Dial' we revealed the attic had been found. Now we've had a double disturbance at Claudia's house. Somebody is clearly very rattled.' Talking to The Mirror at the house, Tom who has become good friends with Joan, remarks: "Somebody has been here, twice! "That's very disturbing and it's frightening because Joan is now visiting this house on a regular basis knowing someone else has been there.' He later told us: 'It looks like a professional job because there's no break in through a window, or damage to the doors, it's either somebody who has a key or who knows how to break into houses. "I think the disturbance was nothing to do with the loft but more to do with clothing and that tissue." Despite Joan and Tom both reporting each incident, North Yorkshire Police have yet to visit the premises to investigate, which Joan says does 'not surprise' her. Tom told us: "We've reported both incidents to the police, they want to speak to Joan and arrange a time to visit. ' The Mirror understands the senior investigating officer in the case is planning to visit the home after Joan agreed to meet him. Reflecting on how the latest drama unfolded at the start of the year, Tom explained how they first discovered the attic when they went to the house to follow up a tip they'd had on the podcast. A man called Dave said he saw Claudia walking around 3am on the A1 near Wetherby on the early morning of the 18th wearing a leather jacket. Tom said: 'Joan said 'shall we go upstairs and see if there are any that match the description?' We went upstairs and there were four leather jackets and one you could potentially mistake for a leather jacket. "As we were looking at those, I saw the hatch and asked Joan if she knew about it and she didn't. We got the jacket out of the wardrobe and Joan put her hand in the pockets and found an Extra chewing gum packet and in the other said; 'Oh my God what is this?' She pulled out some used tissue clearly from 2009 or wherever Claudia last wore the jacket." A podcast about the find was released and a few days later it was made public in February they returned to the house to discover the first of the suspicious activity. We walked through the front door and the inner back door was wide open and Joan said 'Oh my God I didn't leave it like that'. There had been a disturbance," Tom told us. "Joan is meticulous to the point she goes back to double check. It was a surprise." A light green dress Claudia wore on Millennium eve, which was left on the hanger, was now on the floor. Joan also stressed she 'meticulously' closes and locks that internal door after every visit, but when they arrived it was "wide open". 'I always shut that door and go back and check,' she stressed. Then when Joan and Tom moved upstairs to the bedroom to check for disturbances, he told how she exclaimed; 'And that hatch was not left open.' The attic hatch had been pushed back inside the loft, 'quite a way back' Tom said and the 'piece of wood' thought to be a table leg he'd left on the floor of the attic, was now standing upright, on the right. When The Mirror recently joined Joan and the podcast team, to discuss the break-in, Joan showed us the attic and the team discovered the tissue they'd found had vanished too, along with four items of Claudia's clothes. As we arrived at Claudia's pretty stoned terrace on a busy road in Heworth, Joan recapped for The Mirror: 'I was quite shocked to discover it had been broken into.' Getting her keys out, she bends over to open the door but stops in her tracks and turns to us to say the lock 'feels different.' Rattling the keys in the lock, Joan says: 'It was absolutely solid. It wasn't like that. Because the locksmith that did this is a craftsman.' As she walks in, she points to the locking mechanism and says: "There's scratches on the lock and it's bent. These are women's instincts. "Can you see the dent there?' Pointing to a small wicker bookcase right next to the door, she says: 'And this had been moved! as if someone had knocked it when they came in.' After a look round checking the downstairs, we move into Claudia's back garden to see if a Robin who visits regularly is there, before we head upstairs, which has no carpet on and the tacks showing. There Joan discovers the wardrobe has been 'tampered' with again. "There's something not right,' she says pointing to the hatch. Tom points out the attic hatch was upside down, somebody had put it back incorrectly and its frame now seemed damaged. Beneath the entrance bits of insulation from above could be seen. Podcast producer Mark Sandell, who always records their visits on audio using a microphone boom, also points out the wood surround for the hatch; 'The corner's hanging off!' In shock Joan says: 'Wasn't it the white side? You will see on your audiotape? There's something not right." Looking at the clothes below, she says: "There's something not right about this lot. There's something fallen off. There wasn't an empty hanger.' Referring to the shelves of clothes, she adds: 'That was thinned out and it looks like someone has piled it back up again. Somebody has taken something that was on there.' Tom turns to his producer, from podcast company 6foot6, Mark Sandell and says: 'We didn't leave it like that did we?' and is told: 'No, we definitely didn't leave it like that'. Tom says: "There was a piece of wood in there, a lot of insulation…I put the piece of wood to the left of the door.' While Joan adds: 'There's a few empty hangers.' Tom points up to the 3ft square entrance and adds: 'That hatch was left upside down. I put it back with the white side showing not the wood..." He looks for the tissue they found last time and adds: "And the tissue is missing.' As Joan turns her attention to the large pine chest of drawers still full of Claudia's clothes she rummages through and says: 'We never found her her makeup.' Joan seems to think it's a pair of jeans or trousers have gone missing, pointing out: 'The cupboards on the right had been disturbed. There were less clothes in there…were they disturbed?' She tells The Mirror the police have not got keys in the house and 'can't get in there without me'. After we leave she insists: 'It's been tampered with. I'm a bit nervous when I come on my own now. "But I know I will get no protection from the police, once they used to patrol round and check if someone is coming in and out. ' Asked how she felt about the police not coming to investigate. 'It doesn't surprise me. I'm sad to say. After we leave Tom says of their two year long investigation: "The reaction to the podcast has been a bit overwhelming really. "We have good communication with the police and the public stop us in the street to speak to Joan. It's more important to me than ever because every time I speak to Joan it keeps me motivated. It's unimaginable to really understand what Joan is going through.' Producer Mark says: 'I think for many people because Joan is at the centre of this podcast and it's for her. A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said: 'We've been made aware of Mrs Lawrence's concerns that some items have been moved inside the property. We have contacted Mrs Lawrence to discuss this, but as yet we have not been given access to the property, which would allow us to investigate further. 'As always, we continue to assess the information we receive in relation to the disappearance and suspected murder of Claudia, and we urge members of the public to pass on anything that could assist the investigation. We're also committed to engaging with and supporting Claudia's family in any way we can.' Episode 11 of Answers for Claudia is out shortly on Apple Podcasts.
Daily Mirror
28-04-2025
- Daily Mirror
Missing Claudia Lawrence's home broken into twice by mystery intruder after secret attic revelation
Chilling developments have left missing chef Claudia Lawrence's mum "nervous" as she fears an intruder has targeted her daughter's home - not once but twice. It is believed the mystery 'intruder' struck after a tiny attic hatch was discovered alongside new evidence The mum of Claudia Lawrence says she is 'absolutely shellshocked' after discovering her missing daughter's home has been broken into by a mystery intruder - not once but twice. In bombshell developments described as 'frightening,' Joan believes a raider may have targeted her daughter's home after she revealed a secret attic and new evidence. The mum was horrified when an internal door she 'meticulously' locks was left wide open, the front door lock was scratched and bent, a shelf unit moved, clothes missing from Claudia's wardrobe and the attic hatch damaged and 'tampered' with. Claudia was 35 when she vanished without a trace after failing to turn up to work at York University on March 19th, 2009 prompting one of the biggest unsolved murder cases in the UK. Her breakfast bowls had been left in the kitchen sink and the slippers by the door. Since then her home has been left a 'time warp' with her clothes and belongings just waiting. Joan Lawrence, 81, regularly visits the home as a condition of the house insurance and in January 3rd this year she found a tiny attic hatch tucked away in a built-in wardrobe inside Claudia's bedroom. She made the discovery after visiting the home with journalist and 'Answers for Claudia' podcaster Tom McDermott. They also found a tissue and a packet of half used chewing gum inside a black leather jacket, which they believe could hold vital DNA clues. But when Joan returned a few days after the release of the podcast episode which talked about the find and coverage in the Mirror on February 27th, she was horrified to discover someone may have been inside the two-bed house. Joan said: 'I was absolutely shellshocked…I got one hell of a shock. I still don't know how they got in. It makes me feel a bit creepy going there on my own, that somebody's been in. I will go in daylight. It's made me really nervous and I can't go in the house on my own now.' Then when the Mirror joined Joan earlier this month, on April 11th, with the podcast team at the house to discuss this first break in, they discovered evidence there may have been a second raid. Journalist and 'Answers for Claudia' podcaster Tom, who has been working alongside Joan for two years, said he has also been 'shaken' by it describing it as 'frightening' and told the Mirror there was someone out there clearly 'rattled'. And he said he was further 'speechless' after finding evidence of a second break-in. 'I think someone is getting nervous out there. In episode nine in an episode called 'Moving the Dial' we revealed the attic had been found. Now we've had a double disturbance at Claudia's house. Somebody is clearly very rattled.' Talking to The Mirror at the house, Tom who has become good friends with Joan, remarks: "Somebody has been here, twice! That's very disturbing and it's frightening because Joan is now visiting this house on a regular basis knowing someone else has been there.' He later told us: 'It looks like a professional job because there's no break in through a window, or damage to the doors, it's either somebody who has a key or who knows how to break into houses. I think the disturbance was nothing to do with the loft but more to do with clothing and that tissue. Despite Joan and Tom both reporting each incident, North Yorkshire Police have yet to visit the premises to investigate, which Joan says does 'not surprise' her. Tom told us: "We've reported both incidents to the police, they want to speak to Joan and arrange a time to visit. ' The Mirror understands the senior investigating officer in the case is planning to visit the home after Joan agreed to meet him. Reflecting on how the latest drama unfolded at the start of the year, Tom explained how they first discovered the attic when they went to the house to follow up a tip they'd had on the podcast. A man called Dave said he saw Claudia walking around 3am on the A1 near Wetherby on the early morning of the 18th wearing a leather jacket. Tom said: 'Joan said 'shall we go upstairs and see if there are any that match the description?' We went upstairs and there were four leather jackets and one you could potentially mistake for a leather jacket. As we were looking at those, I saw the hatch and asked Joan if she knew about it and she didn't. 'We got the jacket out of the wardrobe and Joan put her hand in the pockets and found an Extra chewing gum packet and in the other said; 'Oh my God what is this?' She pulled out some used tissue clearly from 2009 or wherever Claudia last wore the jacket.' A podcast about the find was released and a few days later it was made public in February they returned to the house to discover the first of the suspicious activity. 'We walked through the front door and the inner back door was wide open and Joan said 'Oh my God I didn't leave it like that'. There had been a disturbance," Tom told us. 'Joan is meticulous to the point she goes back to double check. It was a surprise.' A light green dress Claudia wore on Millennium eve, which was left on the hanger, was now on the floor. Joan also stressed she 'meticulously' closes and locks that internal door after every visit, but when they arrived it was "wide open". 'I always shut that door and go back and check,' she stressed. Then when Joan and Tom moved upstairs to the bedroom to check for disturbances, he told how she exclaimed; 'And that hatch was not left open.' The attic hatch had been pushed back inside the loft, 'quite a way back' Tom said and the 'piece of wood' thought to be a table leg he'd left on the floor of the attic, was now standing upright, on the right. When The Mirror recently joined Joan and the podcast team, to discuss the break-in, Joan showed us the attic and the team discovered the tissue they'd found had vanished too, along with four items of Claudia's clothes. As we arrived at Claudia's pretty stoned terrace on a busy road in Heworth, Joan recapped for The Mirror: 'I was quite shocked to discover it had been broken into.' Getting her keys out, she bends over to open the door but stops in her tracks and turns to us to say the lock 'feels different.' Rattling the keys in the lock, Joan says: 'It was absolutely solid. It wasn't like that. Because the locksmith that did this is a craftsman.' As she walks in, she points to the locking mechanism and says: 'Look there's scratches on the lock and it's bent. These are women's instincts. Can you see the dent there?' Pointing to a small wicker bookcase right next to the door, she says: 'And this had been moved! as if someone had knocked it when they came in.' After a look round checking the downstairs, we move into Claudia's back garden to see if a Robin who visits regularly is there, before we head upstairs, which has no carpet on and the tacks showing. There Joan discovers the wardrobe has been 'tampered' with again. "There's something not right,' she says pointing to the hatch. Tom points out the attic hatch was upside down, somebody had put it back incorrectly and its frame now seemed damaged. Beneath the entrance bits of insulation from above could be seen. Podcast producer Mark Sandell, who always records their visits on audio using a microphone boom, also points out the wood surround for the hatch; 'The corner's hanging off!' In shock Joan says: 'Wasn't it the white side? You will see on your audiotape? There's something not right." Looking at the clothes below, she says: "There's something not right about this lot. There's something fallen off. There wasn't an empty hanger.' Referring to the shelves of clothes, she adds: 'That was thinned out and it looks like someone has piled it back up again. Somebody has taken something that was on there.' Tom turns to his producer, from podcast company 6foot6, Mark Sandell and says: 'We didn't leave it like that did we?' and is told: 'No, we definitely didn't leave it like that'. Tom says: "There was a piece of wood in there, a lot of insulation…I put the piece of wood to the left of the door.' While Joan adds: 'There's a few empty hangers.' Tom points up to the 3ft square entrance and adds: 'That hatch was left upside down. I put it back with the white side showing not the wood..." He looks for the tissue they found last time and adds: "And the tissue is missing.' As Joan turns her attention to the large pine chest of drawers still full of Claudia's clothes she rummages through and comments: 'We never found her her makeup.' Joan seems to think it's a pair of jeans or trousers have gone missing, pointing out: 'The cupboards on the right had been disturbed. There were less clothes in there…were they disturbed?' She tells The Mirror the police have not got keys in the house and 'can't get in there without me'. After we leave she insists: 'It's been tampered with. I'm a bit nervous when I come on my own now but I know I will get no protection from the police, once they used to patrol round and check if someone is coming in and out. ' Asked how she felt about the police not coming to investigate. 'It doesn't surprise me. I'm sad to say. After we leave Tom says of their two year long investigation: 'The reaction to the podcast has been a bit overwhelming really, we have good communication with the police and the public stop us in the street to speak to Joan. 'It's more important to me than ever because every time I speak to Joan it keeps me motivated. It's unimaginable to really understand what Joan is going through.' Producer Mark says: 'I think for many people because Joan is at the centre of this podcast and it's for her, it is seen as very much the last chance. There are encouraging signs that we are going to generate some answers for Joan. 'The police and Tom are talking to each in a proper grown-up way. People are still coming forward with we've clearly rattled somebody who has been into this house. Pointing out the significance of the chewing gum, Mark says a criminologist told them chewing gum could hold vital DNA because it is often shared with others. 'My impression is something is going on out there. We called episode 9, Moving the Dial, there is definitely something moving.' Tom adds: 'We promised Joan to keep Claudia's name and memory out there in the right way for 12 months of the year and not just each year on the anniversary of her disappearance or on Mother's Day. We do our very best to do that. ' 'It does feel like there's something going on, not only in terms of the information we're receiving and the relations with the police, I think the behaviors of some of the key people that may potentially have been involved is altering too. I think it's shaking somebody. ' I think the disturbance of the house is significant, whichever way you look at it, whether it's somebody local who has followed the case or if it's someone connected to maybe what has happened to Claudia, I think that for me is a significant moment in our investigation... 'As you can see, somebody has been in Claudia's house and disturbed things. Now is it a message? Are they trying to send a message to us or to Joan? We feel things are changing. We hope we're right because we need answers for Joan.' A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said: 'We've been made aware of Mrs Lawrence's concerns that some items have been moved inside the property. 'We have contacted Mrs Lawrence to discuss this, but as yet we have not been given access to the property, which would allow us to investigate further. 'As always, we continue to assess the information we receive in relation to the disappearance and suspected murder of Claudia, and we urge members of the public to pass on anything that could assist the investigation. We're also committed to engaging with and supporting Claudia's family in any way we can.' Episode 11 of Answers for Claudia is out shortly on Apple Podcasts.
