The heartbroken parents of missing Catrin Maguire have been left fuming after discovering a key update of their daughter’s case on TV.
Catrin, a student at Bangor University in Bangor, Wales, went missing in November 2021, aged 22, after buying a return ticket to Holyhead, Anglesey. She was last seen on the afternoon of November 15 that year, walking near the South Stack Cliffs RSPB nature reserve, with CCTV capturing her walking on South Stack Road.
The distraught parents, Gerry and Wendy, have vowed never to give up the search for their daughter, with police having found six “unacceptable” failings in the investigation. They have recently told of their fury after discovering a major update via a report on a television programme.
Speaking on Y Byd ar Bedwar , a programme covering Catrin’s disappearance for Welsh channel S4C, North Wales Police Assistant Chief Constable Gareth Evans said the service is considering reopening the appeal for the student’s case. He told the programme: “We are looking to relaunch the appeal [into Catrin’s case] to try to get more information out of the community.”
Gerry and Wendy were unaware of the move, a significant decision that changed the service’s position. Officials have previously said they have no way of progressing the investigation and that they would only launch a review following new information. They told WalesOnline they were “living” at police for not communicating with them.
Gerry said: “We are livid at the police for not communicating with us what they intended to do, yet again. There is nothing worse than having to read it online. Communication is the key thing they say they’ve now addressed in cases like this, and we’re thinking, ‘No you haven’t’.”
“We’re finding things out second-hand and it’s upset the family again. Poor communication has run through everything like a stick of rock.” A spokesperson for North Wales Police said the force aims to work with Catrin’s family on any potential new appeals, and that ACC Evans is “prepared to meet” the family. They said: “Whilst no ongoing missing person case is ever ‘closed’, a renewed appeal is something the force will often consider and is in no way out of the ordinary.
“In the context of the wider interview, ACC Gareth Evans did make clear the force would respect the wishes of the Maguire family in respect of appeals, and during the interview he also said he was prepared to meet [the family] to discuss any concerns they had. The force is actively seeking to facilitate this. However, as there has been a short amount of time between recording and transmission, this is still ongoing.”
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