Greater Manchester Police have announced this morning that they have concluded the case of Alex Batty from Oldham
Alex disappeared after going on a holiday trip to Spain with his mother and grandfather aged 11
Four the next six years, he lived “an off-the-grid life” with them in Morocco, Spain, and then in southwest France.
The teenager was found in December 2023 walking in France after being picked up by a delivery driver who spotted him on a road in the foothills of the French Pyrenees, near Toulouse.
Alex said he was getting fed up with the “nomadic lifestyle” he was leading with his mum and grandad.
Since the investigation was launched just over a year ago, detectives in Oldham have explored all possible lines of enquiry, however they have concluded there is insufficient grounds to move forward with any criminal prosecution.
Detective Superintendent Matt Walker who has led this investigation said; “Alex and his safety has been at the forefront of our minds and actions since he was found in Toulouse, France in 2023.
“In our commitment to protecting children, we felt it was important that the circumstances of Alex’s disappearance be properly and thoroughly investigated. I led a dedicated team to do exactly that when Alex was first found, and this has continued since.
“We have consulted with various partners, such as a complex case CPS lawyer and the National Crime Agency throughout, and concluded there would be no realistic chance of criminal prosecution.
“Given this, 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 is now an adult, safe, and reintegrated with life back in Greater Manchester surrounded by those who love him, which ultimately is the priority.”
