Missing Student 'Fell In River After Drinking'

CCTV shows Megan Roberts running down a street with a group and bumping into a cycle rack but she is missing from later footage. 5:54pm UK, Wednesday 29 January 2014

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Missing student probably fell in river during night out, police reveal

Megan Roberts, 20, who is missing after becoming separated from friends after a night out in York Photo: PA By Martin Evans, Crime Correspondent

2:42PM GMT 29 Jan 2014

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Megan Roberts, the university student who has been missing in York for almost a week, probably fell in the city’s River Ouse while drunk, police have said.

Detectives hunting for the missing 20-year-old said there was no evidence of foul play and all the indications were that she had met with a tragic accident.

Superintendent Phil Cain also stressed there was nothing to suggest that the York St John University student’s disappearance was in any way connected with the case of Claudia Lawrence – the university chef who went missing in York in 2009 and who police believe has been murdered.

Speaking close to the Lendal Bridge, over the swollen River Ouse in York, Mr Cain said: “The strongest and most probable line of inquiry being pursued by police is that Megan, affected by alcohol, has entered the river.”

He added: “On balance, this presents as a group of young friends on a night out that is likely to have ended in tragedy.”

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Miss Roberts, who is from Wetherby, West Yorkshire, and lived in the Clifton area of York, was last seen in the early hours of Thursday following a night out.

But it was only when family and friends realised earlier this week that she was missing that the alarm was raised.

North Yorkshire Police have studied CCTV footage and interviewed Miss Roberts' friends in an effort to trace her last movements.

Today a police diver was scouring the river bank close to the Lendal Bridge, near where Miss Roberts was last captured on CCTV.

There had been suggestions that Miss Roberts had expressed some concern about being followed by a stalker shortly before she disappeared but the police said there was “no evidence to indicate foul play”.

Miss Roberts worked as a barmaid at the Lamb and Lion Inn in York during the summer and its manager described her as “very police and friendly”.

In a prepared statement Mr Cain said: "Megan Roberts has now been missing for almost a week. Her disappearance was reported to police by her mother on Monday 27 January 2014 after she had not been in contact with a family or friends for a number of days.

“Understandably there have been growing and grave concerns for her safety which has triggered a great deal of police activity, and interest from the media and the public.

“Some of that activity has played out on social media and has led to a number of theories about her fate including potential links to the Claudia Lawrence case.

“It is very important, not least for Megan’s family and friends, to deal with the facts as they currently present. Those facts are based on evidence resulting from a variety of police enquiries to date.

“It has been established that Megan was one of a group of young adults - all of who were friends - who had been drinking for several hours prior to leaving Popworld night club around 2.10am on Thursday 23, January.

“All in the group including Megan were heavily affected by alcohol. That group whilst together were widely spread out as they made their way from Popworld across Lendal Bridge to McDonalds.

“Having separated, part of the group ran down Tanners Moat, in front of The Maltings public house towards the river looking for the others.

“Megan through the effects of alcohol was the last in the group and bumped into some of the cycle racks as she followed others. CCTV evidence doesNOT show Megan running back up the same street with the others to rejoin the main group.

“All members of the group concerned have been traced and spoken to at length by the police. There is nothing at this stage to indicate that any member of that group of friends or anybody else is directly responsible for Megan’s disappearance.

“A range of other police enquiries, including investigating theories described on social media sites, have been undertaken by a range of police resources including detectives. The results of which does NOT indicate that Megan’s disappearance is the result of any criminal activity.

“Consequently the strongest and most probable line of enquiry being pursued by police is that Megan, affected by alcohol, has entered the river. Clearly we will not be in a position to definitively to confirm this to be the case until Megan is found.

“The possibility still exists that Megan is elsewhere safe and well, but realistically given the passage of time, such a possibility is increasingly remote.

“I emphasise that there is no evidence to indicate foul play of criminality and certainly NO evidence to link Megan’s disappearance to the Claudia Lawrence case.

“On balance, this presents as a group of young friends on a night out that is likely to have ended in tragedy.

“Our primary emphasis will centre on the continual search of the river and the surrounding area using specialist search resources.

"We continue to support Megan’s family with specially trained officers.”

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Police searching for missing university student focus on river

Megan Roberts was last seen at the Popworld bar on George Hudson Street in York Photo: PA By Hayley Dixon, and agencies

6:43PM GMT 28 Jan 2014

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Police hunting for a missing university student are focusing their search on the river which runs through the city where she disappeared.

Megan Roberts, 20, was last seen on CCTV in the early hours of Thursday morning going toward the bridge with a group of friends, but when they appeared on the other side of the river she was not there.

The York St John University student has not been seen since but friends and family only realised yesterday that she was missing.

Police are searching the bank of the River Ouse in York and are reviewing CCTV footage.

Only a week before she disappeared Miss Roberts had tweeted that she and a friend Rockie Thorley, who was also out her on the night she disappeared, were followed by a man around the pubs of York, who then sat beside them staring.

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On January 16 she wrote: "Can't believe a guy just followed us from one pub to another and came and sat down next to us, staring at us like it was completely fine"

Miss Thorley continued the thread: "Megan has gone to the toilet and this creepy guy keeps staring at me and winking, probably gonna get murdered tonight and it's only 8pm yolo"

And then: "Me and Megan got up to leave and creepy guy asked us where we were going, even though he hasn't spoken to us all night....Ergh creep"

Later still: "Sat in a different pub and the creepy guy has just turned up and sat with us and said 'can't believe you here'. Wtf go away creep"

Then lastly: "The bar staff have just noticed our stalker and come to tell us that they won't be serving him anymore and not to worry we are safe :') cute"

Miss Roberts was reported missing by her mother yesterday morning after a friend raised concerns, North Yorkshire Police said.

A force spokeswoman said she was last seen at around 2am on Thursday in the Popworld bar in George Hudson Street, having gone out with friends on Wednesday evening.

CCTV footage shows Miss Roberts with a group of people on the corner of Rougher Street near Lendal Bridge at around 2.20am. The group were seen a short time later at the other side of the bridge, on Museum Street, but the student was not with them, police said.

Officers are attempting to trace her movements after she was last seen on CCTV.

Police are searching the riverbank in the city centre and an underwater search unit has been deployed, a force spokeswoman added.

Superintendent Phil Cain said: "We are very concerned for Megan's welfare and are urging the public to help us establish her movements in the early hours of Thursday 23 January 2014.

"As with all missing persons inquiries we are doing everything we can to locate Megan and make sure she is safe and well.

"Her disappearance and the fact that she has not had any contact with her family and friends for almost five days now is extremely unlike her and adds to our concern.

"Megan's family are understandably very distressed by her disappearance and I would appeal for anyone who has any information at all about where she might be to get in touch with the police as soon as possible."

Miss Roberts is described as around 5ft 6in and of medium build with long dark brown hair. When last seen she was wearing a cream knee-length dress which had large brown and orange flowers on it and black plimsolls-type shoes.

Police said that specially trained officers are supporting the missing student's family, and have dismissed the suggestion that she was being stalked.

Superintendent Phil Cain said: "We are exploring with friends who are aware of a Twitter message, which was commenting around a male in a bar where Megan was at the time.

"Friends are convinced there was nothing to suggest Megan was being stalked at that stage. We do not believe that is connected to Megan's disappearance.

"At this moment in time there's no suggestion of any criminality whatsoever and we are treating this as a missing from home."

Among those who have expressed their concern for the Miss Roberts is Peter Lawrence – the father of Claudia Lawrence, the university chef who went missing in York in 2009.

Mr Lawrence's spokesman, Martin Dales, said: "I know Peter's thoughts and prayers are very much with the family and friends of Megan Roberts.

"The 100-plus hours between when she was last seen early last Thursday morning and the reporting today makes it very difficult for those looking for her, whether police, family or friends as the first few hours of being missing are critical.

"We hope that she, and any member of the public with information, will make contact if she can – 116 000 is the Freephone number of Missing People who will confidentially pass on messages – and that she will return safely to her family and friends as soon as she can."

No trace of Miss Lawrence has ever been found and detectives believe she has been murdered.

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VIDEO: Motorist is rescued from freezing river after bystanders jump in to save him

45k Lexus RX400 Hybrid through railings into the River Can

 

An elderly motorist has thanked three "heroes" who pulled him from a freezing river.

Retired car salesman Terry Skingle, 73, feared the worst after driving his

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MP Stephen Gilbert helps rescue woman floating in the River Thames

Hero: MP Steve Gilbert threw the stricken woman a lifebeltA quick-thinking MP was hailed a "hero" last night after a dramatic rescue of a woman from the Thames near Parliament.

Lib Dem Stephen Glbert was at an event on the House of Commons terrace, overlooking the river, when he saw what he thought was a body floating past.

But when he saw the body move he reacted quickly to throw a life-belt into the water, which she was able to grab before being rescued further downstream.

Mr Gilbert, who was at an event for bus operators on the Commons terrace, was left shaken by the incident.

He said: "What looked like a body just floated past.

"Then I saw that the person then moved and I followed them down the terrace."

A number of life rings are kept along the terrace at the Palace of Westminster and Mr Glbert, the MP for St Austell and Newquay, threw one into the river.

He said: "There are some lifebuoys on the terrace, I guess this is not the first time something like this has happened.

"I didn't expect for the person to move and then I didn't expect to have to react to get them a lifebuoy.

"She disappeared towards Westminster Pier and she was rescued near to that."

Mr Gilbert admitted the shock had left him "barely able to string a sentence together".

The Metropolitan Police confirmed a woman had been pulled from the river near Westminster Pier, just yards from the House of Commons.

A spokesman said: "The woman was rescued from the water by the RNLI, the marine policing unit was also involved.

"She has been taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service."

A spokesman added that the police had been called at 7.50pm.

He said: "The marine policing unit were involved.

"She was recovered from the water and was taken to hospital."

He added that the coast guard were also involved in the rescue, which happened "not long after ten to eight".

Police were last night investigating how the woman ended up in the Thames on a cold October night.

A source close to Mr Gilbert told the Mirror: "His quick thinking was heroic - and was clearly vital.

"Well done Stephen."

Mr Gilbert wrote on Twitter: "Shaken after seeing a body float past House of Commons terrace - she moved, I threw a life-buoy and she's now been
rescued!"

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