London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Jul 16, 2025

Katrice Lee's dad angry over Boris Johnson Hartlepool meeting

Katrice Lee's dad angry over Boris Johnson Hartlepool meeting

The father of a girl who went missing in Germany 40 years ago says he feels "bitterly let down" after a meeting with Boris Johnson was sprung on him.

Richard Lee said he had hoped to meet the prime minister in Downing Street but was "devastated" after a surprise meeting on Monday.

He said he was told about the meeting minutes before and was not prepared.

Katrice Lee vanished on her second birthday in 1981, near a British military base in Germany.

Mr Lee believes his daughter was abducted and the case has been raised again in recent months in the House of Commons.

In November Mr Johnson said he would meet Mr Lee "father to father" and it was hoped the meeting would take place in Downing Street.

However, a previous date for a meeting at Downing Street in March was cancelled due to the situation in Ukraine.

A planned meeting between Mr Lee and Margaret Thatcher in 1982 was also cancelled because of the Falklands War.

Mr Lee said he received a phone call "out of the blue" last week asking him to take his file on Katrice's disappearance on Monday afternoon to the Hartlepool office of local Conservative MP Jill Mortimer to discuss "a few points on the case".


'Angry and upset'


Mr Lee said: "When I arrived I was taken to a conference room where I put my file on the table, ready to clarify a few points and it was then I was told I was meeting the PM in a few minutes.

"To say I was angry and upset is an understatement, I've been fighting for a meeting with a British prime minister for 40 years and I was infuriated it was happening with no notice.

"I had a presentation ready, but it was at home on the kitchen table - luckily I had a copy on my phone."

Probes by Royal Military Police have been unable to determine what happened to Katrice Lee


Katrice had been with her mother Sharon, from Gosport, at a Naafi supermarket in Paderborn in November 1981 when she disappeared.

The Royal Military Police has previously apologised for failings in its investigations, which included delays in interviewing key witnesses and not releasing a photofit of a suspect for 36 years.

Mr Lee said he discussed the case with Mr Johnson for about 15 to 20 minutes and asked for an independent inquiry into how his daughter's disappearance was handled.

He also called for the case to be handed to civilian police and for the government to pledge £1m to the charity Missing People, which helps families trace loved ones who disappear overseas.

Mr Lee said: "I walked out of the office after the PM had looked across at Jill Mortimer and said he could probably help with one of the points, but I can't remember which one as I was so angry.

"I'm annoyed we live in a country where we have freedom of speech and freedom of choice, but both of those things were taken away from me on Monday."

Mr Lee added he was waiting for the prime minister to get back in touch following the meeting.

Both Mr Johnson's and Ms Mortimer's offices have been approached for comment.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
A 92-year-old woman, who felt she doesn't belong in a nursing home, escaped the death-camp by climbing a gate nearly 8 ft tall
French Journalist Acquitted in Controversial Case Involving Brigitte Macron
Elon Musk’s xAI Targets $200 Billion Valuation in New Fundraising Round
Kraft Heinz Considers Splitting Off Grocery Division Amid Strategic Review
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
EU Proposes New Tax on Large Companies to Boost Budget
Trump Imposes 35% Tariffs on Canadian Imports Amid Trade Tensions
Junior Doctors in the UK Prepare for Five-Day Strike Over Pay Disputes
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Biden’s Doctor Pleads the Fifth to Avoid Self-Incrimination on President’s Medical Fitness
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
×