My son vanished six years ago without a trace – cops made a string of mistakes and I’m afraid he’ll never be found

THE mother of a man who has been missing since 2018 says she feels "let down" by cops - claiming they missed leads to find him. Steven Durand, then 31, was last seen leaving a shop in Salford [1] on October 28, 2018.

Steven Durand went missing in 2018

He was last seen in a shop in SalfordCredit: Lancs Police

Steven doted on his nieces and nephews

Steven would get a Manchester United shirt every Christmas

Over five years on Preston man Steven has still not been found - with his mum Christine telling The Sun of her ordeal. Christine, 67, said: "Steven had been out in Chorley the day he went missing.

"He had told me not to worry if he didn't phone as he was just with his mates. "But after he hadn't been in touch for nearly a week I tried ringing him a few times. "He didn't pick up so I went to his flat in Preston and knocked on his door then unlocked it myself - he hadn't been in."

Christine, who lives in nearby Leyland, told her daughter - who went to the police station. Cops launched a missing person probe and tracked down the friends Steven had been with in Chorley. But none of them knew where he had gone or what had happened to him.

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Christine kept going to the police station every day in the hope of information, bringing cops Steven's toothbrush for a DNA check. But it was only when Christine told officers to check Steven's bank account that they discovered he had tried to use his card in Salford.

She said: "What the hell was he doing in Salford? He never once mentioned knowing anyone there." The officers handling the case pursued the lead - and found CCTV showing Steven at the Premier Store shop in Salford.

But Christine grew angry with the investigation, claiming that cops missed the chance to examine CCTV from Salford train station. She said checking the footage in time may have revealed whether Steven arrived in Salford by train and who he was with. Christine is also furious that cops initially told local papers that Steven, who is visibly mixed-race, was white.

She believes the incorrect briefing may have stopped people who saw Steven in Chorley or Salford from coming forward. The worried mum asked Greater Manchester Police to take over the case from Lancashire Constabulary, since Steven had last been seen on GMP's patch. But she claimed poor communication between the two forces caused further delays in the hunt for Steven.

Cops searched the River Irwell in Salford and found a leg which they asked Christine to identify. But forensic checks on the leg confirmed that it in fact belonged to a woman. Christine offered cops to the keys to Steven's flat, but was shocked when they changed the locks instead.

'LET DOWN'

The furious mum ended up complaining to the IOPC watchdog about her treatment.

She said: "It is shocking. I have been let down by the police - but I couldn't afford to get a solicitor. "The police have left it as a cold case.

I haven't heard anything from them for three years." Officers tried to reassure Christine that Steven was smiling in the CCTV footage from the shop in Salford. She said: "He's my son.

He didn't look OK, that was his nervous smile - he was scared. "There must have been more CCTV from the neighbours around the shop, at least one bit of video which could have helped find Steven. "But I don't know if anyone even checked."

Christine said that Steven, who suffers from cerebral palsy [2], would always took out his disability benefit in cash at the same time each month. She said that the fact he had not withdrawn the money when he disappeared was a "red flag". Christine said: "Something went very wrong that day."

The mum said that one officer promised her a new Crimewatch [3] appeal. But when she followed up at the police station just a few days later, she was told he no longer worked there.

'LIFE AND SOUL'

Christine, who is retired, last month faced her sixth Christmas without Steven. She said: "Christmas was very special for Steven.

"He always loved getting presents for his nieces and nephews and wrapping them up with me. "Each year he would ask for that season's Man United [4] shirt, and he was wearing one when he went missing. "On Christmas morning he would play a game of football with the little ones.

"He was the life and soul - he would dance and make us laugh. "It has never been the same without him." Christine added: "Now at Christmas we say a prayer and talk about him.

"I try and not be too miserable but I take my pictures of Stephen down and look at them. "But Steven's nephews don't like to make me upset by bringing him up. "Steven was special.

He was always happy, always smiling. He hated anyone feeling down. "He would put my favourite record on when I came over to his flat, he was very kind-hearted.

"Steven never complained about his cerebral palsy even when he had spasms and was called names at school. "He would help anybody, even when he was suffering himself."

SEEKING ANSWERS

Steven suffered from mental health issues and would ring Christine every morning to check in and tell her who he was with. Christine said: "He did have his dark moments and he was lonely.

"His mental health carers said they would never give up on him and they would usually go over to his flat to make sure he took his meds. "But his care was interrupted not long before he went missing. I think it played a part.

"Maybe he didn't want to go to Salford at all, maybe he wanted to come home but missed his train. "He knew my number by heart but never rang. Something went wrong."

Christine added: "I want to know what happened. I still have a tiny bit of hope he's alive. "If he killed himself, they would surely have found him.

"I would just like some closure. It would make me feel better. "Someone in Salford must know what happened."

Greater Manchester Police said that it had no open report relating to the investigation, which it said had likely been handled by Lancashire Constabulary. Lancashire Constabulary said: "We appreciate that the investigation to locate Steven is now over five years old and unfortunately to date has not been successful in locating him. "We understand how distressing this must be for his mother.

"We've carried out extensive enquiries in relation to CCTV, telephony, searches of open land and waterways, enquiries with associates, witnesses, health agencies and financial checks and numerous media appeals, prior to the decision to archive the investigation. "Police have to make difficult decision surrounding missing persons investigations based on risk, threat and vulnerability, information and active lines of enquiry. "At certain points of an investigation, it may be necessary to archive the case.

"This does not mean that the case is closed, and any new information will be fully investigated."