Katie Price reveals final texts Lee Andrews sent before going missing as police speak out
Katie Price has shared the last messages she received from husband Lee Andrews, as he remains 'missing' in Dubai.
The former glamour model previously revealed that she hadn't heard from Andrews, who she married earlier this year in a whirlwind ceremony, since 13 May, leading to concerns that he'd been kidnapped in the Gulf nation.
Andrews' family are also understood to be concerned about the self-proclaimed businessman's whereabouts, filing a missing person's report with the British Embassy in Dubai.
Price has now released the final texts she received from Andrews to The Sun, which she believes prove that he's been 'kidnapped'.
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The text thread, which took place between 12.36am and 1.01am on Thursday (14 May), begins with Andrews telling Price that he'd 'been arrested' and would be in touch shortly.
"Where? Why? I'm worried," read Price's reply, which was sent within five minutes of receiving the first message.
However, Andrews then appears to be confused about whether or not he'd actually been arrested, telling Price that he was 'detained' at a 'black site'.
"It’s a black site, I love you, I sort it. I’m in the van… just being detained wtf," he said, before instructing the reality star to keep tracking his live location.
Andrews also sent Price his father's number at one point during the exchange, after she raised concerns about being able to get in contact with him, writing: "If they take your phone how will I get hold of you? Should I have your dad's number?"
A source ,who claimed to be a friend of Price's, then added that she'd been completely 'blindsided' by last week's events and reiterated that it was not a publicity stunt.
"This is NOT a publicity stunt – as if she needs any more PR – and no matter what Lee has or hasn’t done, she still loves him," the friend told the outlet.
"These WhatsApps prove that she is as blindsided as the rest of us as to Lee’s movements. She is not in on it, whatever 'it' is."
The latest update follows a previous expose from The Sun, in which a journalist claimed that Andrews wasn't actually missing at all but instead hiding out in a 'run-down villa' after 'ghosting' Price.
Meanwhile, UK police have since clarified reports that they had 'escalated' a case involving Andrews to Interpol.
"We’d like to clarify that Hertfordshire Constabulary received a report in March, however, once it was established the alleged offences happened in Dubai, we referred this case to the relevant authorities as this was outside of our jurisdiction," read a statement from Hertfordshire Constabulary.
"The terminology of ‘escalate’ isn’t correct as we have followed normal procedure."
It's not clear what the investigation relates to, however Andrews has previously been accused of scamming former partners – claims which he has denied.
Katie Price's missing husband: a timeline
12 May: Missed UK television appearance
The Dubai businessman, originally from Manchester, is supposed to be on an episode of Good Morning Britain alongside his wife.
When asked if Andrews got arrested at the airport, Price says: "No. You know, they just said it to me in there.
"So, I just said, 'Lee, apparently a British man has been detained. Can you just confirm that it's not you?' Because I obviously know it's not him.
"So, he's just done a voice note back and laughing emojis. 'No, it's not me' and a voice note. And he's just sent me pictures."
In a vlog on her YouTube channel, Price shares footage of herself calling Andrews after her GMB appearance, telling him: "None of them believe you're coming at all. The fact is, you've just got to get here and prove everyone wrong.
"They're like, 'Kate, do you know anything about this man?'"
13 May: Last known contact
Price says on her channel that Andrews is 'at the airport going through the border control to get his exit stamp'.
"So, he said he's 100 percent, a billion percent, coming today," she adds.
14–16 May: Communication suddenly stops
Price says she and Andrews are normally in 'constant contact' and it's 'worrying' that she can't get through to him on the phone.
"We're now wondering, as far-fetched as it is, he's a missing person," she adds. "I don't know if he's been kidnapped."
16 May: Price pleads 'please help me find my husband'
Over the weekend, Price says, 'the truth is, Lee has been missing for three days'.
"Lee was trying to get through the border near Hatta and, oh God, this is so discombobulating," she continues. "His location went off at 10:03, Wednesday night, that's the last contact anyone's had, his family and me.
"This is the third day now, obviously, he phoned me before the location went off. He's in the middle of nowhere, obviously, I'm worried."
Price adds that 'the last FaceTime call I had with him… he had ties around his hand and a hood'
"He sounded really worried and said like whispering, ‘They're coming for me now. They're coming for me. I've got to go’,” she explains.
17–18 May: Missing person report filed
According to The Sun, a missing person report has been lodged by his family at the British Embassy in Dubai.
"Lee is officially a missing person now," a source tells the outlet.
"Katie is in constant contact with his family and is desperately worried. And she’s mortified — she’s seen people calling it a stunt and that she must be in on it, but she’s absolutely not.
"This is such a worrying, upsetting situation."
19 May: Accusations emerge that Andrews is on the run
In a lengthy expose published by The Sun, journalist Clemmie Moodie accuses Andrews of scamming her out of £1,000, as well as claiming that he is currently hiding out in Dubai.
"Lee has NOT been kidnapped; he is simply in hiding after also ghosting his devastated wife for the past six days," she claims. "He is not dead. He is not in jail. And he has not been detained."
"He is squatting in a slightly run-down villa, frantically planning a route out of this ginormous hole he appears to have buried himself in, and is understood to be liaising with his few trusted contacts on a 'burner phone'," the report alleges.
This follows claims from numerous partners that Andrews scammed them out of money, which he denies.
Price details final FaceTime call with Andrews, denies 'publicity stunt' accusations
Price says she hasn't spoken to Andrews since Wednesday night, telling fans in a recent YouTube update that he was attempting to leave the UAE.
"The last time I heard from him, he FaceTimed me, he had a hood on and said, ‘I've just been captured or arrested’ and had ties around his hand, not handcuffs, and said ‘they're coming back for me’," she explains.
Price denies accusations that this is a publicity stunt, calling the claims 'disgusting'.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for FCDO has given the following statement to LADbible Group: "We are supporting the family of a British man and are in contact with the local authorities."
Topics: Katie Price, Celebrity, Celebrity News
Brenna Cooper