Mum satisfied lacking son principle police ‘fixated’ on is fallacious and he is alive

The mother of missing student Jack O’Sullivan is adamant that the police are mistaken in their belief that her son is in the water. Catherine O’Sullivan maintains hope that her 23-year-old son is still alive, stating she ‘hasn’t been shown any evidence’ to suggest otherwise and feels the police have been concentrating on the wrong areas.

Jack disappeared without a trace after last being seen at 3.15am on Saturday, March 2 in the area of Brunel Lock Road/Brunel Way, in Bristol. Catherine, 52, from Flax Bourton, Somerset, accused the police of being ‘fixated’ on the theory that Jack had fallen into the water while returning home from a party.

However, she stated there has been no evidence to support this claim – despite divers discovering various items including football boots and a wedding ring, they have not found a single trace of her son. Catherine has now lost complete faith in the police and has taken matters into her own hands by hiring a specialist dog team.

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She expressed: “If he had gone into the water, people with experience have told us ‘you should have found him by now.’ Or found something at least – some evidence he was in the water. However there has been nothing.

“You can see from the CCTV it is not possible he fell into the floating harbour. The footage is quite good. Beyond where he was seen there is a lock but the harbour master has told us if he had fallen in there, they would have found something.

“They don’t have anything and police divers have been in on many occasions. They have found a wedding ring, glasses, football boots so it feels like they have worked through it in good detail – but they’ve found nothing that belongs to Jack.

“The police seem to have based all searching on looking where his phone was last used. It does not mean to say he was with his phone.”

“There is a huge suggestion he was not with his phone – and they have got to look everywhere. We feel the police have not put any effort into anything that was not around their water theory. We firmly believe any opportunity to search should have been done.”

Recently a carrier bag was found floating in the water so a team was sent to check it out.” Anything on land seems to be a lot harder and has to be ‘put for consideration.'”.

Catherine said she spends every waking moment hunting for Jack and has come up with her ‘most likely theory’ of what has happened.

She added: “My theory, although I must stress there isn’t any firm evidence to substantiate, is that he got into a car, knowing or unknowingly. A taxi, or maybe a car he thought was a taxi, has taken him out of the immediate centre – and dropped him somewhere.”

“It is really hard for me – this is the only thing I do. Every minute of the day when I am awake I am looking for Jack, trying to make sense of it all and keep the momentum going.

“I am not prepared to accept Jack is not here until someone gives me evidence of where he is.

“i know that might sounds crazy but the facts are not here. Where is he? Until I get some further information – for me Jack is somewhere and I just have to keep looking.”

Avon and Somerset Police have stated that since Jack’s disappearance, over 20 different teams and departments have been involved in the investigation.

A spokesperson revealed that more than 100 hours of CCTV have been reviewed, along with 200 hours of searches on the river and the surrounding banks, mounted police searches from Bristol city centre to Flax Bourton, 40 land searches, and 16 drone deployments.

Assistant Chief Constable Joanne Hall, of Avon and Somerset Police, commented: “Our staff and officers remain committed to doing everything we can to find Jack and we do not underestimate what a distressing time this has been, and continues to be, for his family.”

“Throughout our investigation, we’ve been open-minded about what happened to Jack, considering different possible outcomes and scenarios following his last sighting.”

“We have sought reviews from independent agencies such as the National Crime Agency (NCA) and experts such as oceanographers and independent Police Search Advisors.”

“Sadly, despite the efforts carried out to date, we have been unable to find Jack and we fully appreciate the anguish this is having on his family and our thoughts remain with them during this hugely difficult time.”

The force explained that while a dedicated officer maintains regular contact with the family, “in investigations of this nature, there tends to be periods which are more dynamic and fast-paced and others which are longer-running.”

A spokesperson for the force elaborated: “Where the investigation has progressed and activity becomes more prolonged, or there are fewer updates to give, the communication flow will not be to the same extent. However, whenever there are any significant updates, we will always make direct contact with them.”

Addressing the family’s denied request for phone data, ACC Joanne Hall stated: “We have taken time to carefully consider the data request to see if there was any way we could agree to it in order for Jack’s family to get the answers they deserve following his disappearance. However, on this occasion, we are restricted by law and have been unable to identify a clear legal basis which would allow for the disclosure to take place.”

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