POLICE are to scale down their investigation into the suspected murder of missing chef Claudia Lawrence - unless one last line of inquiry provides a breakthrough.

North Yorkshire Police says its three-year probe has now moved to a 'reactive phase,' which will review any new and compelling information that comes to light.

"Unless one outstanding line of inquiry relating to DNA profiling, estimated to take a further six weeks to finalise, provides a breakthrough in the case, the review which has cost £1million, will start to scale down next month," said a spokesman.

He said Claudia’s parents Peter and Joan attended a meeting with detectives last week, at which they were given a detailed presentation on the current position and direction of the review. They were also informed that the review is reaching its conclusion.

However Claudia's mother Joan said she was "absolutely stunned" when she heard Monday's announcement.

She said: "This isn’t what I was led to believe. I never heard them say in the meeting they were scaling down the case. I’m absolutely stunned. Words can’t express enough how upset I am.

"I realise the recent police team have worked very hard to try and get answers, and I know they feel people are still lying to them, but I can’t allow Claudia’s name to be forgotten. I will do everything in my power to ensure people keep searching for my beloved and precious daughter."

She added: "I will never give up trying to find my daughter and attempting to discover what has happened. As a parent, that is what I have to do. Not knowing is incredibly hard and takes over my every waking thought.

"I don’t know the answers but I feel I somehow have to carry on searching for Claudia – I can’t let her be forgotten about. Again I am appealing for anyone who knows anything about what has happened to Claudia to please, please come forward." 

York Press: Joan Lawrence, mother of missing Claudia Lawrence.

Joan Lawrence

Assistant Chief Constable Paul Kennedy, who attended the family meeting, said: “Step by step, we have explained to Claudia’s family the extensive work the review team has conducted in an attempt to determine precisely what happened to Claudia.

“The team has reviewed the entirety of the initial investigation into Claudia’s disappearance in 2009, and as a result, has identified many new lines of enquiry which have been pursued with vigour and determination.

“Despite their exhaustive efforts, the support of national experts, the application of the very latest forensic techniques to exhibits recovered many years ago, and despite the team tracing and speaking to many people who did not come forward in the first enquiry, we have sadly not been able to find that crucial piece of information.

“A total of nine people were arrested or interviewed under caution during the course of the review, and in the summer of 2014, in early 2015 and in December 2015, we submitted files to the Crown Prosecution Service in relation to a number of individuals.

“The CPS concluded we had gathered insufficient evidence to be able to bring any charges against those people.

“I want to pay public tribute to Detective Superintendent Dai Malyn who has led this review from its outset.

"This case is an extremely challenging and complex one, and he and his team have been utterly professional, extremely thorough and steadfast in their determination to find that one vital piece of information that would help solve this case.

“It is not for the want of trying that a breakthrough has not yet come, but rather the result of the continuing refusal of those who know what happened to Claudia to come forward and tell us the truth.

“The case will not be closed until those responsible for Claudia’s disappearance and, we believe, her murder, are brought to justice.

"Whilst the current review team will and has been scaled down, the new Cleveland and North Yorkshire cold case dedicated team will still have responsibility to review any information that is considered relevant.

“Disappointing news though this is for Claudia’s family, we have not given up hope, and I do believe that one day we will be able to tell them what happened to Claudia.”

Martin Dales speaks to The Press outside Claudia's home.

Martin Dales, friend and spokesman for Peter Lawrence, said the news was "depressing" and "frustrating", but there should be no criticism of North Yorkshire Police.

He said: "It’s very depressing and there’s no criticism at all of the police, the huge amount of effort they’ve put into this review over the last three years is clearly huge. But the sad thing is that nearly eight years without Claudia carries on with not really anything new to go at.

"It’s clear from what’s being said is that the combination of Cleveland and North Yorkshire police forces cold case review setup will always be there until there’s some sort of conclusion.

"But clearly if you’re not getting the information or anything new to go at and you’ve gone through and had a thorough no expense spared review you can’t carry on like that forever if you’re not getting anywhere. The answers are still out here, in York or wherever and that’s the information that’s needed, police don’t have the information they need."

The last confirmed contact anyone had with the 35-year-old University of York chef was when she spoke to her mother Joan on the phone just after 8pm on Wednesday, March 18, 2009. Claudia failed to attend work the following day, and was reported missing on the Friday.

A police spokesman said: "There is nothing in the manner of her text messages or from her phone billing that indicated she was going to do anything other than attend work the following morning.

"The review of the original investigation began in the autumn of 2013."

He said lines of inquiry by the team, made up of experienced staff and senior detectives from North Yorkshire Police, with other regional forces and national agencies providing peer support when required, included:

  • A review of a large amount of CCTV from local council systems, private premises and buses that was seized by the original team. "This, for instance, led to the image of the man in Limes Court being found that Det Supt Malyn and his team consider very relevant."
  • *An assessment and analysis of other “passive” data, including mobile phone records
  • Extensive checks on Claudia’s finances
  • Comprehensive forensic investigations in Claudia’s house and other buildings, on open land, on DNA samples, in cars, garages, and notably on many fingerprint marks. "This work included the use of sniffer dogs, ground penetrating radar, the analysis of aerial photography, and the use of geologists and archaeologists."
  • A review of exhibits seized and fingerprints lifted throughout the investigation was a key piece of work, and more than 4,100 exhibits and over 400 fingerprints have been reviewed

He said officers seized 4,114 exhibits and took 2,517 statements. "In total, 627 police officers and staff have played some role or other during the investigation.

"No crime scene has ever been identified, and based upon the forensic work undertaken and in the view of experts, it does not appear that Claudia was subjected to a violent attack in her home involving the loss of blood.

"Unusually, Claudia did not have a computer, did not access the internet via her phone and did not have a social media presence. Those facts precluded extensive investigative opportunities that normally feature in most missing person cases.

"During the review the team focused on a number of people who – for different reasons - came to attention. Their movements at the time of Claudia’s disappearance needed to be established in order to either eliminate or implicate them in the case.

"This work involved interviews, house searches, review of telephone activity, and speaking with other witnesses to clarify their movements and other work.

"In total, 159 people were fully reviewed.

"The eye-witness sightings of an unknown man and a woman spotted arguing near Claudia’s house remain inconclusive, but an unknown man seen on CCTV footage near Claudia’s home around the time she disappeared remains of very significant interest. Despite extensive inquiries and media appeals, it has not been possible to identify this individual."

Det Supt Malyn said: “With the exception of one outstanding piece of work relating to DNA profiling, we have now completed all the work we set out to do and in accordance with the terms of reference set for the review.

“I acknowledge how sad Claudia’s parents and sister feel that we have been unable to give them the answers they want, and everyone in the team shares their frustration. ​

“We have worked tirelessly for three years and we are sorry that we have not been able to prove what happened to Claudia, or to find her.

“It remains the case that people close to Claudia have not always been entirely truthful with us and have withheld information. And this has made our task extremely difficult.

“The review team will now be reduced in line with the reduced demand, but the investigation will always remain open - and regularly reviewed - until Claudia is found and those responsible for her disappearance and murder are brought to justice.”

Police and Crime Commissioner Julia Mulligan said the three-year investigation, which has cost the force more than £1m, had presented a number of learning points for North Yorkshire Police, and her thoughts were with Claudia's family.

She said: "It is enormously sad that Claudia has not been found despite the years of hard work and dedication. No stone has been left unturned, and every scrap of evidence has been interrogated.

"First and foremost though, my thoughts are with the Lawrence family at this very difficult time. I know North Yorkshire Police continue to offer their support and their services should they be needed."