A recent plea has been issued for details concerning the disappearance of two boys nearly six decades ago.
David Leckey, aged 11, and Jonathan Aven, aged 14, were last sighted in east Belfast in September 1969. Their cases were highlighted in the recent Lost Boys documentary investigating the vanishing of multiple children in the 1960s and 1970s, screened in 2023.
Authorities stated that the families of the missing boys have endured “unimaginable anguish” since their disappearance. There is speculation that the boys might have boarded a train to Bangor, and individuals who may have encountered them in any context or location over the past 56 years are encouraged to come forward to the police.
David’s family, residing on Memel Street, had no inkling of any distress or problems before his disappearance, believing he would never leave home. Jonathan, from Sydenham Drive, was depicted by his father as a cheerful child attending Ashfield Boys’ School, where he seemed content and excelling academically.
More than half a century has elapsed since David and Jonathan vanished, leaving their families in perpetual uncertainty about their fates on the day they disappeared. Investigators are still baffled by the circumstances surrounding their disappearance. They pledge to explore all leads and potential criminal aspects related to their vanishing.
Authorities urge anyone with information about David and Jonathan’s disappearance to reach out to the Legacy Investigation Branch for evaluation by investigators.
KRW Law, a law firm representing the Aven and Leckey families in Belfast, welcomed the renewed call for information. They collaborate closely with the PSNI in the ongoing investigation initiated after the Lost Boys documentary aired, aiming to provide long-overdue answers for the families.
Solicitor Owen Winters emphasized the enduring pursuit of justice, stressing the importance of linking Jonathan and David’s disappearance in 1969 with similar cases for a comprehensive investigative approach. They advocate for a consolidated effort by the police to address all incidents under a unified investigative strategy for the benefit of all affected families.
To contact detectives, call 101 or email LIBEnquiries@psni.pnn.police.uk referencing RM14009442. Reports can also be submitted online via www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/. Crimestoppers offers anonymous contact at 0800 555 111 or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.