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| Alex Batty: Police end criminal probe into teen's disappearance | |
| (21 days later) | |
| Alex Batty vanished in 2017 after being taken on holiday by family | Alex Batty vanished in 2017 after being taken on holiday by family |
| Police have called off a criminal investigation into the disappearance of British teenager Alex Batty, who returned to the UK in 2024 after going missing for six years. | Police have called off a criminal investigation into the disappearance of British teenager Alex Batty, who returned to the UK in 2024 after going missing for six years. |
| The boy from Oldham vanished in 2017 aged 11 after going on holiday with his mother and grandfather, before he was found in France in 2023. | The boy from Oldham vanished in 2017 aged 11 after going on holiday with his mother and grandfather, before he was found in France in 2023. |
| A Greater Manchester Police spokesperson said a probe into child abduction had been dropped as his family did not support it and there was "no realistic chance of prosecution". | A Greater Manchester Police spokesperson said a probe into child abduction had been dropped as his family did not support it and there was "no realistic chance of prosecution". |
| Det Supt Matt Walker said: "The right thing to do is bring closure to this chapter of Alex and his family's lives, particularly as this is the outcome they wished for." | Det Supt Matt Walker said: "The right thing to do is bring closure to this chapter of Alex and his family's lives, particularly as this is the outcome they wished for." |
| Alex was discovered in the foothills of the Pyrenees in south-western France close to the city of Toulouse on 13 December 2023, after he was last seen in the port of Malaga six years earlier. | Alex was discovered in the foothills of the Pyrenees in south-western France close to the city of Toulouse on 13 December 2023, after he was last seen in the port of Malaga six years earlier. |
| The teenager said he, his mother and grandfather, Melanie and David Batty, who were not his legal guardians, had lived a "nomadic lifestyle", after staying in communes and caravans in the area. | The teenager said he, his mother and grandfather, Melanie and David Batty, who were not his legal guardians, had lived a "nomadic lifestyle", after staying in communes and caravans in the area. |
| Alex returned to live with his grandmother in Oldham shortly after he was discovered. | Alex returned to live with his grandmother in Oldham shortly after he was discovered. |
| Alex went on holiday with his family in September 2017 and was last seen a month later | Alex went on holiday with his family in September 2017 and was last seen a month later |
| Detectives opened an abduction investigation after the teenager was found by a delivery driver who spotted him walking on a road. | Detectives opened an abduction investigation after the teenager was found by a delivery driver who spotted him walking on a road. |
| Alex had previously said he did not want his mother or grandfather to go to jail over his disappearance, adding he delayed returning home because he was "worried about them getting locked up". | Alex had previously said he did not want his mother or grandfather to go to jail over his disappearance, adding he delayed returning home because he was "worried about them getting locked up". |
| 'Safe and reintegrated' | 'Safe and reintegrated' |
| But the probe has now been dropped by police, who found after consulting with lawyers at the Crown Prosecution Service and National Crime Agency that there was no realistic chance of prosecution. | But the probe has now been dropped by police, who found after consulting with lawyers at the Crown Prosecution Service and National Crime Agency that there was no realistic chance of prosecution. |
| Det Supt Walker said the force felt it important to "properly and thoroughly" investigate the disappearance and had "explored all possible lines of enquiry". | Det Supt Walker said the force felt it important to "properly and thoroughly" investigate the disappearance and had "explored all possible lines of enquiry". |
| He said Alex's safety had been "at the forefront" of the investigation. | He said Alex's safety had been "at the forefront" of the investigation. |
| "Alex is now an adult, safe, and reintegrated with life back in Greater Manchester surrounded by those who love him, which ultimately is the priority." | "Alex is now an adult, safe, and reintegrated with life back in Greater Manchester surrounded by those who love him, which ultimately is the priority." |
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