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Missing British boy Alex Batty returns to UK after being missing for six years

Home> News> UK News

Updated 23:29 16 Dec 2023 GMTPublished 23:05 16 Dec 2023 GMT

breaking

Missing British boy Alex Batty returns to UK after being missing for six years

Alex Batty went missing in 2017 while on holiday with family members

Emily Brown

Emily Brown

The British boy who was found in France after going missing six years ago has returned to the UK.

Alex Batty disappeared in 2017 while on holiday in Spain with his mother and grandfather.

Six years later, he was found on Wednesday (13 December), by a motorist in France.

Alex Batty was supposed to return from Spain in 2017.
GMP

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Greater Manchester Police have now announced Batty's return to the UK, with GMP Assistant Chief Constable Matt Boyle confirming the news in a statement tonight (16 December).

"I know there has understandably been huge interest in Alex’s story, not least in Greater Manchester, but also nationally and internationally. It gives me great pleasure to say Alex has now made his safe return back to the UK after six years," Boyle said.

Boyle said Batty, who is now 17 years old, was met by a family member and police officers at Toulouse airport, where he caught a flight to the UK.

"This moment was undoubtedly huge for him and his loved ones and we're glad that they have been able to see each other again after all this time," he continued.

Greater Manchester Police said it has not obtained formal statements from Batty, who is now 17 years old, with Boyle explaining that officers will speak to him about his disappearance at a pace that 'feels comfortable to him'.

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"[This] will ultimately determine how this case is progressed and whether a criminal investigation is to ensue," Boyle said.

Both French and British authorities have been involved Batty's case.
AFP via Getty Images

In his statement, Boyle continued: "Our continued focus is supporting Alex and his family in partnership with other local agencies to ensure they are safe, their wellbeing is looked after, and his reintegration with society is as easy as possible.

“We are yet to establish the full circumstances surrounding his disappearance, but no matter what, understand that this may be an overwhelming process. He may now be six years older than when he went missing, but he is still a young person.

“I would continue to ask for the community and media’s support in granting Alex and his family privacy as they look to move forward," Boyle continued.

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The police department could not comment on details disclosed by French authorities about what the teenager may have been doing in the six years since his disappearance.

The 17 year old, who was left for his holiday in Spain on 30 September, 2017, and was due to return to the UK on 8 October that same year.

Police opened an investigation into Batty's disappearance on the day he was supposed to return home, and it has remained open for the last six years.

Featured Image Credit: PA/GMP

Topics: UK News

Emily Brown
Emily Brown

Emily Brown is the Community Desk Lead at LADbible Group. Emily first began delivering news when she was just 11 years old - with a paper route. She went on to graduate with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University before contributing to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems. She joined UNILAD in 2018 to cover breaking news, trending stories and longer form features, and now works as Community Desk Lead to commission and write human interest stories from across the globe.

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