Missing Katrice Lee’s dad heads to No 10 to hand back medals

The father of a girl who went missing 43 years ago is to hand back his army medals in protest over the handling of the case by the Royal Military Police.

Richard Lee’s daughter Katrice went missing on her second birthday near a British military base in Paderborn, Germany in 1981.

Mr Lee is travelling from Hartlepool to Downing Street on Friday to give back his war medals, saying: “I’m firing the last bullet I’ve got in my arsenal.”

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said its sympathies were with the family.

Mr Lee, a former warrant officer, served in the Army for more than 30 years, including in the 15th/19th Royal King’s Hussars in the former West Germany.

He is planning to hand back his Northern Ireland general service medal and another medal awarded to him for 30 years of service and good conduct.

Mr Lee and about 30 other veterans are due to arrive at Downing Street at 15:00 BST.

“Do I want a lump of cold metal, or do I want an answer where Katrice is? I want an answer where Katrice is,” Mr Lee said.

He added: “I’m not going away until I get justice for my daughter’s case.”

Mr Lee believes his daughter, who has been missing for more than 40 years, was abducted.

In 2012, the Royal Military Police apologised for failings in the initial investigation and reopened its inquiries under the title Operation Bute.

A search of the Alme river, near where Katrice had vanished, was carried out in 2018, and a photo-fit of a man seen putting a child in car, created shortly after Katrice went missing, was released in 2017.

Mr Lee has requested an independent or public inquiry into the handing of his daughter’s case.

A MoD statement statement said the department “continues to welcome any additional information that could help determine Katrice’s whereabouts”.