UK & World News
- 26 September 2012, 3:03
Missing Megan: Police Release Ferry CCTV
Police have released pictures of missing teenager Megan Stammers and her teacher Jeremy Forrest taken on board a ferry to France.
The CCTV images show the couple walking hand in hand on the Dover to Calais vessel at 9.30pm last Thursday. It comes after it emerged their relationship had been under investigation before they ran away together.
Chief Inspector Jason Tingley, from Sussex Police, said: "We are releasing this photo to show Megan and Jeremy's appearance at the time they travelled to France as we believe it will improve the public's ability to recognise the pair together.
"Although they entered France, it is possible that they are elsewhere now. Therefore our objectives are to identify where they are and for them to contact us, so we can bring Megan home safely."
The parents of the 15-year-old have made an emotional appeal for her to get in contact with them.
It has now emerged that concerns were expressed to another teacher about their relationship, following a school trip to Los Angeles in February.
A friend from Bishop Bell Church of England School in Eastbourne, East Sussex, said that another classmate had raised the issue after seeing the pair holding hands on the flight home.
The 15-year-old said: "I kind of knew it was gonna happen because of the way they were with each other and my friends were talking about it when they were on the LA trip.
"It was obvious it was gonna happen. They were always together... on the plane apparently they were holding hands."
An East Sussex County Council spokesman said: "Because the investigations are ongoing, we are not going to comment in detail, however the school and the county council had been addressing and investigating concerns that had been raised, in line with procedure, when this happened.
"That investigation will continue and we will decide what action to take."
The pair travelled on a ferry from Dover to Calais on Thursday evening and were due to come back to the UK on Sunday, but did not use their return tickets.
A text message, believed to be from the teenager, was sent to one of her friends saying she had arrived safely in France but did not come from her own phone, police revealed.
On Monday, Megan's parents urged the teenager to come home.
Her mother Danielle Wilson made a direct appeal to her daughter, saying: "Sweetheart, I don't care what you've done or why, I just want you home."
With her voice breaking, she also said: "Please darling, just do anything - text me, ring me, send me a message. I've sent you a message on Facebook, just do anything. The phone number hasn't changed at home, just ring, please sweetheart."
Describing her daughter as "so loving, so caring", Ms Wilson added: "You know that your adorable princess wants her adorable mermaid back."
Her father Martin Stammers described Megan as "just adorable". He added: "I just want you to come home safe and well."
Both parents said her disappearance was out of character.
"She is always in at 7pm, she is not one of these kids to roam the streets, she doesn't go out drinking or anything like that. She doesn't like the dark so she had never been out after dark," Ms Wilson said.
She added: "It is completely out of character, this is not her, she is not like this."
Megan's family have set up a website Megan Stammers Missing to raise awareness of her disappearance.
Appeals for information have also been posted on Facebook and Twitter. On social networking site ask.fm, Megan recently said she was "excited" about her future and that her motto in life was "You only live once".
In 2009, a teacher at Bishop Bell C of E School was jailed for seven years after grooming two pupils on social networking site Bebo.
Robert Healy, then aged 27, had sex three or four times with one teenage victim after taking her back to his father's house over a period of a fortnight.
Jailing him at Lewes Crown Court, Judge Charles Kemp said his "predatory" behaviour was a "grave breach of trust".
Police believe Megan had left the UK willingly and urged her and Mr Forrest to contact them.
Mr Tingley appealed for any members of the public who see the couple or Mr Forrest's black Ford Fiesta, registration GJ08 RJO, to contact police.
:: Anyone with information is asked to call Sussex Police on +44 1273 475 432 or text +44 7786 208 090.
Update:
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what do you think?
joelle cooke
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Tricky One
Because she's under age. Because he's her teacher. If he loves her, why couldn't he simply wait a few months?
Andrea Hill
dont be so ridiculous. his career ruined and he married. look.what she missing out on, life a 15 year old should be having. idiots the pair of them, especially him
Ian Black
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Malcolm Charlesworth
Actually she is a child. That's the whole point. If parliament decides to change the law then that will be another matter.
Julie Crumpton
Have you children joelle? To a point I agree that 15 yr olds can be very mature, and I wouldn't have a big issue with the age gap.... However, because of his position, he should have realised this was not the way to go, ....would expect it if he were say, 16 or so, not a 30yr old....
Louise Smith
I agree with Julie Crumpton..... If the girl was 20 and her lover 35 no one would worry but this girl is 15 and the law protects her. I do hope that she is found soon as there is no prospects in this relationship..... where will they live and what will they live on.?
Penelope Flowerpot
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krafty81
And when reality hits that life isn't a fairytale I suppose we shall all have to feel sorry for her? This is real life. She is too young to know what she wants/needs from a relationship. A very immature girl playing at being a grown up.
movvi
Maybe they are in love. Maybe you can't control who you fall in love with, but when you're a teacher, you just don't cross that particularly huge, thick, black obvious line! And she is a schoolgirl under an age limit there to protect our young, however mature they seem.
Russell Beaumont
There is one very important bit missing from this report and that is were the parents informed of the investigation by the school, Police and local authority. I somehow think not. Parents are usually the last to be informed now days as to childrens activities at schools If the parents knew they could along with the investigators could have put a block at passport control.Why was this not done?There are a lot of questions to be answered. I believe it was all hushed beforehand to save the reputation of the school and prevent a scandal.Now they have got just that a very big scandal
Mark Smith
this is a ridiculous out of date law if she gave consent and is happy then why dont people mind there own bisness then the family would be more aware of whats going on and woundnt suffering in silence
gengisken1227
The law is protect minors from giving consent before they have reached sufficient maturity to be fully conversant of the far reaching effects that can spring from a childish infatuation. As a matter of interest, how low an age were you thinking of - 13, 11, 9 ? Although, having said that, the one acting exstemely "childishly", is her 30 year old male, soon to be an ex-teacher.
Lorgar Aurelian
A school trip to Los Angeles? What kind of school is this?
Mike Drouin
normal
Louise Smith
dont forget Lorgar.... the teacher went to LA paid for by the parents!!!!!!
ali baba
your comment made me laugh
movvi
I thought LA was a bit extreme too. Nuts!
Andrea Hill
our trips were to longleat.or bristol.zoo
Linda Luetchford
They probably dont even know there is all this fuss going on in the UK. France is easy to hide in and the French wont really be interested will they?
Julie Crumpton
...oh, they will know!
joelle cooke
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HARLEY1974
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Julie Crumpton
Again I ask,..have you kids? If so, you'd realise most, or at least a lot of girls that age don't confide in mum.....doesn't mean they don't love their mums!
Louise Smith
Joelle, I think you are a very young child yourself? How old are you and do you have children. My children are grown up with kids of their own..... they all confide in their friends and not their parents. This young girl is 15, she is, in the eyes of the law, under age.
Andrea Hill
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Michael Dynes
I think you are right Julie. Joelle by her comments sounds very much like a teenage or maybe even younger.
joelle cooke
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Tricky One
She's 15, so she's under age. He's her teacher and married. He now has no career. I don't blame her. A 30 year old male who cannot wait for a few months to have the girl he cares for - is not in my book a real man.
J R
But 'Tricky One' - who's to say that he HAS 'had' her ???
Robbie369P .
A real man? Are you joking, a child or just stupid?
Tricky One
J R. Then why elope, drop his career, earn a spell inside. For some hypermarket cheap beer? Why not wait?
Grant Berry
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Andrea Hill
you are so immature joelle
Name witheld
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joelle cooke
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David Francis
Joelle - do you really think a 15 year old schoolgirl really has the maturity to decide on this course of action with sufficient degree of consideration? As the father of a 15 year old daughter I can tell you she HAS NOT. If she had that maturity she would not have instantly ruined an idiots career and would have told him not to be so stupid. By running off like that she has proved she is too young to make life's decisions sensibly.
HARLEY1974
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El Bubsio
David, So you believe that a person of 15 years and 364 days old is incapable of making a mature decision, and yet one day later that all magically changes? As for ruining an 'idiots' career, do you not think that's his decision to make? If she'd been a year older, this wouldn't even be newsworthy. This whole thing is based on the frankly outdated idea that 'maturity' is something that is delivered in a box or something on an arbitrarily chosen birthday. Interestingly, the age of criminal responsibility in the UK is 10. So, someone has the maturity under our wonderful laws, to know right from wrong, but isn't considered mature enough to make decisions regarding their own life and body for another 6 years. I'm not advocating lowering the level of sexual consent to 10,before anyone jumps to that conclusion, however, several countries, many in Europe included have an age of consent of 14 or lower and manage to get by just fine. Everyone seems obsessed with protecting the poor defenceless children, but perhaps with better education and a little trust, they can learn to make these mature decisions better and as a result, become better, more rounded adults.
Julie Crumpton
Think joelle is very young herself.....?
David Francis
El B.... If she was sufficiently mature, she would not put her parents and the authorities throught all this. These are not the actions of someone making carefully considered actions.
El Bubsio
David, Her decision may have been inconsiderate, but that doesn't equate to immature. Anyone, at any age can make a decision they may later regret (if indeed, she does). Also, her parents description of her makes her out to be a level headed, sensible young lady. Again I say, if she'd been a little older, her decision would have been considered fine (at least legally). Do you really think that if she'd been 16, her decision would have been different? If not, then it can't really be considered immature. If 'concerns' were raised in February, then the relationship must have been going on for at least 7 months. That's long enough to decide if you want to be with someone, surely. If they break up and she's left heartbroken, once again, do you think a few weeks/months would change those feelings.
Tricky One
If it's only a few weeks, or even months and this relationship has been going on for months. Why not wait a few more weeks or months?
El Bubsio
Tricky, Wait for what exactly? The relationship had been going on for months and an investigation was ongoing. Chances are the teacher would have lost his job and perhaps been in trouble with the police. Eloping before it came to that seems like the only option, sensible or not. I also remember a story on this site a few months ago where a PE teacher in Austria was having a sexual relationship with one of her 13 year old pupils, who got her pregnant. Under Austrian law, he was only a few weeks/months from reaching the age of consent too. The majority of comments on that story were along the lines of "phwoar, I'd have loved some sexy MILF to show me the ropes at that age". Funny how this story is somehow totally different because the roles are reversed eh.
Tricky One
Waiting for the obvious!!!!! Legality. And thus no issue....
El Bubsio
I'm not sure if they've actually done anything illegal at this point. This whole story seems to be revolving around trying to make contact to ensure she's safe rather than anything to do with the actual relationship itself. I'm sure that if and when they do return to the UK, the police will probably be speaking to them both about the relationship, but if they haven't had sex, then no laws (i believe) have been broken. If they have had sex then obviously that changes things. But that is the point of my earlier comments. Maturity and the ability of self governance are not something that arrive in the mail on a person's 16th birthday. By all acoounts, Megan is a sensible and level headed young lady and I don't think personally that them having sex a few weeks before her 16th birthday is that big a deal. If she'd been 12 or something obviously that would be a different matter, but (again IMO), the rigid sexual consent laws in this country, combined with a lack of education on the subject are causing more harm than good. Lets face it, we have the highest rate of teenage pregnancy in Europe and the rates of STDs amongst young people is way up there too. Strict laws and harsher punishments will not change this fact, just like it doesn't for most 'crimes'. Only education and support can do that.
Tricky One
El bub. The law is not needed for mature young ladies, it's there to protect the vulnerable ones.... Everyone understands many young 14/15 year old girls are mature enough to make there own decisions. But that really is not the point here?!?!?
Tricky One
And i'm guessing here but im pretty sure a teacher taking an underage student abroad without the knowledge or consent of the pupils parents - is not allowed.
El Bubsio
Tricky, I can see your point about the law protecting vulnerable people, but I believe their is a point to be made regarding whether the law should be flexxible in situations like this. I'm not sure if her tarvelling abroad will be illegal or not, but you may well be correct and I feel for her parents, who must obviously be worried sick. However this takes me back to my earlier point that the rigidity of the law and the couples fear of either persecution or prosecution is what has forced them to make this decision. Laws should be there to protect people, but in a case like this, which do you think will do more harm to a young person's wellbeing? Being in a (by all accounts) consentual realtionship with an older person, or (assuming they have had sex) being dragged into a police station to be questioned for hours and be told you've been abused, then having to watch and possibly appear as your partner is put through the court system with all the coverage that would garner, is likely jailed, branded a monster (or worse) and put on the sex offenders register for the rest of their life.
joelle cooke
to David Francis,I disagree,they obviously,evidently don't care!
HARLEY1974
Because he works as a teacher,and because she's under 18,regardless of whether she went willingly etc,he was in a position of trust and he's caused an offence.She's not 16,she 15.For those of you saying to leave them to it,would you be saying that if it was YOUR daughter?I think not.
Rhys Sage
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ali baba
whatever way u look at it, this guy is in the wrong
shirley sutton
What has mr healers conviction got to do with this case? Press muck raking yet again
Michael Dynes
This case highlights one of the main problems we have in society today. Our young people want to grow up too quickly. The girl was indeed old enough to know that what she was doing was wrong, in spite of what our very young visitor below thinks. Call me old fashioned, but I consider it wrong to run off with married men. She is also truanting. However, to me the main blame lies with the teacher. He was in a position of responsiblity and trust and he broke it. As my mate Movi says, he crossed that very thick, clear and obvious black line. We expect our teachers to behave with professionalism and he clearly has failed in that. .
Name witheld
8:29am on 25/9/2012
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