Marian Duggan

---

Debbie and Andrew Griggs were married nine years before they disappeared

for 20 years, The Disappearance of Debbie Griggs remained a mystery. Two decades later, her husband was convicted of her murder and jailed for a minimum of 20 years. What has changed?

The Answer is actually almost nothing.

When the 57-year-old Andrew Griggs entered the accused in the dock earlier this month, killed his wife and disposed of her body at the 5. In may 1999, he offered the same weight of The Evidence , that the Prosecutor had decided, in 2003," that there is no realistic prospect of conviction".

Det Supt Paul Fotheringham, who leads The Major crime unit in Kent, has helped to ensure that, over time, undermine claim of her husband, the 34-year-old Mrs Griggs had walked out of your own drive: there was no sign of her on any state system in the two decades since she was last seen at The Family home in Walmer, Deal, Kent.

Likewise, the idea that you would have life was taken less and less plausible over The Years , because there was no trace of a body, despite an exhaustive international searches and DNA Tests of unidentified female corpses.

, However, had changed beyond anything. A Central point for The Prosecution was that Griggs has killed his wife because he had sex with a 15-year-old girl, but the police knew of this abusive relationship in 2003. The teenager, now a woman in her 30s, gave evidence for The Prosecution , told jurors that the Griggs had to was maintained for a time, you are Vulnerable .

Andrew Griggs claimed that his wife had to leave her Young Family , Det Supt Fotheringham, who was a young beat officer in the offer to disappear the time of Mrs. Griggs ' s, said he had always believed that Griggs had you killed, and the case remained in "the forefront of my mind."

In the year 2018, the responsibility for the cold-case team, he was a retired detective for the review of the Griggs file, and said to him: "Just go back in the today's context. "

For Sarah Dineley, of The Crown Prosecution Service to calculate the decision, finally, Griggs and murder can be explained by prosecutors re-evaluation of the "importance of the parts of The Evidence ."

For many in the offer, where Mrs. Griggs, The Family had lived for generations, there was always only one answer to the puzzle: Griggs, an avid sailor, from A Family of fishermen, they believed, his murdered wife and disposed of her body in the sea.

However, the case was initially treated by the police as a Missing Person investigation, with Griggs arrested for the First Time 20 days after his wife's disappearance.

He remained the Prime Suspect , to disperse during a four-year fought The Investigation , but the police, The Feeling , you just had holes slowly from the start. Mrs Griggs ' mother, Patricia Cameron, said in 2003 that the police seemed to be "dragging their tails".

Helen Cheeseman, who said Mrs Griggs said Best Friend at the age of 12, the police conducted a "failure" of Griggs, his wife had depression. "That's why you were on the search for a Missing Person ," She Said .

Griggs spent many hours in the Depths of the sailing Club in the offer, Griggs mentioned depression within 30 seconds, if, 24 hours after he alleged that she had stormed out, he called to report to the police, his wife is missing. If the affected neighbors inquired about her whereabouts, he said she had a "crazy" and had not "taking your pills".

Long before he murdered his wife, Griggs had begun to make the base work. He told The Family and medical professionals that they are buckling under The Weight of depression. Mrs Griggs wrote in her diary that her husband is blaming you, "sick and crazy in The Head ".

And yet, as her GP, Dr Peter Schouten , The Jury at Canterbury Crown Court said she had displayed", none of the signs or symptoms of depression," in The Weeks before her disappearance. Mrs Griggs post had experienced-Natal depression after the birth of her first two sons, but not for their third, born in the year of 1997, he told The Jury .

Gossip "is rampant" in the offer, after Mrs Griggs disappeared, Canterbury Crown Court heard, According to Ms. Dineley, our understanding of Mental Health issues "has changed significantly in the last 20 years".

Asked whether the state had lawyers than The Public , changing the settings, if you have a decision on The Prosecution Griggs, She Said , "if we look at acceptable behaviour, norms, 20 years ago, where we are now, they are very different".

Speaking before the hearing, Mrs Dineley, said: "These changes in the setting, hopefully it will be for The Jury to see, what it is: A Man who tries to put the blame on his wife the door to try and cover up his actions. Of course, I can't in the minds of the jurors, but you will of course judge according to it is in today's Standard. "

Helen Cheeseman (next to Griggs) was one of her Best Friend 's bridesmaid Davina James-documents dated, the spent in order to improve a 30-year career, the attempt, The Prosecution and prevention of domestic violence, who currently leads the domestic homicide reviews for the Home Office .

It was a "process of Massive Change " in the Criminal Justice system's treatment of domestic abuse, She Said . To calculate the 2003 decision, Griggs was "on the threshold" of the transition, She Said .

Ms James-documents dated, a Trustee of the center for women's justice, was released in the year 2004. "From this moment on, things really began to change. For the First Time ever, prosecutors domestic abuse training. "

Griggs tried on the question of his wife, reason, would, She Said , are taken "under the magnifying glass, in these days, since we know how manipulative the abuser can be." The Public understanding of domestic violence has improved, She Said .

"A wonderful mother" Mrs Griggs was devoted to her Three Sons , The Jury heard Deborah Elizabeth Cameron was born in December 1964, the oldest daughter of a large and loving family with deep roots in the coastal town of Deal.

In school, she was well-liked and "game for a laugh," your childhood friend Helen Cheeseman said, Recalling how she once came in a mud fight, during an outdoor science class. Mrs Cheeseman said Debbie , who was loved the godmother of their daughter, Samantha, "only children", and added: "she had the patience of a Saint . "

as a trained nurse, worked at the Kent and Canterbury Hospital and later in search of disabled children. If your own children came, The First in 1992, and two more within five years, it grew into a "wonderful mother," Mrs. Cheeseman said. "She had this maternal instinct in her. "

"Debbie would never have went to their children," your girlfriend. In may 1999, Ms. Cheeseman's son, Barry, was diagnosed with cancer for the second time. "You knew he was sick. You wouldn't have left and not always have contacted me. "

Marian Duggan , senior lecturer in criminology at the University of Kent, makes a similar case.

Asked whether the state would have lawyers, as changes in the nature of the jurors interpreter of evidence, Dr Duggan could have said it was likely to be the case against Griggs "would be as different from the juries than it is today, would have been 20 years ago".

This was, She Said , "because of the greater knowledge we have about domestic violence is trying to The Victim and the perpetrator", rely on cultural stereotypes that cast doubt on the credibility of The Victim - The Mad , sad, bad".

Debbie Griggs Mrs Cheeseman's son, Barry, "We just want The Truth to come out," said Mrs Cheeseman, the fears of your friend's body has never been found.

And though such cases are rare, it is estimated there are about two.

in Fact , while Griggs was on the bench, a jury was considering evidence against a Kent man who is accused of the murder of The Mother of his children, despite the Fact .

Helen Cheeseman said she was "robbed of her Best Friend " It is illegal in the UK to ask jurors about how they arrived in your judgment, it will never be known, how they reached the decision that the Griggs had lied about the death of his wife, for 20 years.

In 2003 with the TV appeal, Patricia Cameron said that while she always knew what had happened to her daughter, she wanted to make sure that it is made public", so you could "close a Chapter in My Life and, hopefully, turn a page and start living again."

progress came Too Late for Mrs Cameron, died in January, just a few weeks before their daughter, the killer was charged.

Mrs Cheeseman said: "she died, heart broken. "

Kent Police said in a statement: "Debbie 's disappearance was initially investigated as a Missing Person investigation, was reasonable and proportionate is to be reported in view of the Missing Person and The Missing come of any evidence at the time they had to damage. It led officers to suspect was carried out by The Investigation , that she had died and The Investigation was then handed over to Major crimes detectives launched a murder investigation and arrested Mr Griggs. "

deal, domestic abuse, kent police, emotional abuse, walmer, missing people

Source of news: bbc.com