
Cole Cooper's family hire top lawyer to help them find answers over his disappearance
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
THE GRIEVING family of a teenager found dead weeks after he vanished has hired human rights lawyer Aamer Anwar to help in their bid for answers.
Cole Cooper had been missing for four weeks after disappearing from Banknock near Falkirk at the start of last month, and his body was discovered weeks later.
Sign up for Scottish Sun
newsletter
Sign up
5
Cole Cooper was missing for four weeks after vanishing from Banknock
5
Over 300 people attended a vigil in his honour last week
Credit: PA
5
His body was found in the woods in Banknock on Friday, June 6
Credit: John Kirkby
This week Cole's devastated mum claimed her family have been 'left in the dark' by police.
Wendy Stewart also claimed there had been a 'lack of consistency and transparency' around the investigation.
Since then the family have called in top lawyer Aamer Anwar to represent them and help them get the answers they need.
Mr Anwar said: 'It's clear that Cole's mother has very deep concerns, and I hope very much that in the coming days or weeks that the police will leave no stone unturned in their investigation and respond to a grieving mother who has every right to answers, whatever they may be.'
Cole, who went missing in early May, was found dead in a wooded area of Banknock on June 6.
Despite a post-mortem, the cause of death remains unexplained - leaving his family desperate for answers as enquiries continue.
I hope very much that in the coming days or weeks that the police will leave no stone unturned in their investigation and respond to a grieving mother
Aamer Anwar
A major search was launched to find Cole with specialist units, drones, divers and helicopters all called in.
But sadly, his body was found in the woods in Banknock near Kilsyth Road.
Cole's death is being treated as 'unexplained' and extensive enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances.
Detectives are continuing to piece together Cole's last movements with CCTV reviews and house-to-house enquiries.
Mum of missing Scots teen Cole Cooper, 19, reveals living 'nightmare' in heartbreaking interview over his disappearance
He was seen on CCTV around 6am on Sunday, 4 May, on Cumbernauld Road in Longcroft.
On Sunday, hundreds of family members and friends gathered at a vigil to pay their respects to the teen.
Detective Chief Inspector Bob Williamson said: 'We are carrying out significant enquiries into Cole's death, however, at this time there is no evidence of any third-party involvement.
'It is vital that we establish the full circumstances leading up to Cole's death so that we can provide some answers to his family.
'The thoughts of everyone involved in this investigation are very much with his family and friends, and officers will continue to offer them support and keep them informed as our enquiries progress.'
5
Cole's mum Wendy Stewart is said to have 'very deep concerns'
Credit: DAVE JOHNSTON

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
First female director general of MI5 Dame Stella Rimington dies aged 90
SPY GONE First female director general of MI5 Dame Stella Rimington dies aged 90 Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE first female MI5 director general has sadly died aged 89. Dame Stella Rimington died "surrounded by her beloved family and dogs and determinedly held on to the life she loved until her last breath", her family announced. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up The 89-year-old was appointed director general of MI5 in 1992, and the first woman to ever hold the position. After her retirement in 1996, she became a non-executive director of Marks & Spencer and the BG Group. She leaves behind two daughters. Dame Stella previously told the Telegraph how she became a spy. "In 1965 my then-husband John, a treasury official, was offered a posting to the British High Commission in New Delhi," she said. "In the summer of 1967, I was walking through the compound there when someone tapped me on the shoulder and said, 'Psst... Do you want to be a spy?' "It transpired this man was MI5's liaison officer in New Delhi and he offered me a job as a clerical assistant on £5 a week." She said her role mainly consisted of typing out his reports. 1 Dame Stella Rimington was the first female director general of MI5 Credit: EPA More to follow... For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video. Like us on Facebook at and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSun.

Western Telegraph
2 hours ago
- Western Telegraph
Mother of Baby P to face public parole hearing in October
The hearing, which has been listed for October 22 to 23 at an unconfirmed venue, is Tracey Connelly's first review since her second recall to prison in August last year for breaching her licence conditions. The now 44-year-old was jailed in 2009 for causing or allowing the death of her 17-month-old son Peter at their home in Tottenham, north London, on August 3 2007. Tracey Connelly's son Peter, known as Baby P, died after months of abuse in 2007 (ITV News/PA) The Parole Board received two applications for October's review to be held in public, which described Connelly's 'landmark case' as 'one of the most high-profile and devastating child protection failures in UK history' which 'permanently altered the conversation around safeguarding', according Judge Peter Rook KC's judgment. It was argued that the public still does not have access to the 'real details', citing that previous decisions around parole and recall have been made in private and a public hearing would 'provide crucial context to a case that remains deeply significant to the public'. A lawyer for Connelly argued against the hearing being made public, saying it poses a risk to her safety and that there is a 'high risk' her identity will be compromised as 'threats to her safety are real and current'. The legal representative also said Connelly has suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and depression, and that a public hearing will 'exacerbate' these issues and have a 'significant and detrimental effect' on her evidence at the parole hearing. But Judge Rook, on behalf of the chair of the Parole Board, said the lawyer acknowledged Connelly 'recovers well from these events'. According to his judgment, Connelly experienced 'offence-related bullying and aggression' after her recall to prison which 'led to a decline in her mental health' but the judge said she reportedly responded well, without resorting to violence, and has now 'stabilised'. Granting the application for October's hearing to be held in public, the judge said: 'There can be no doubt that there is a substantial public interest in this case. 'There is a strong public interest in the extent that Ms Connelly currently presents a risk and, if so, what measures are proposed in order to manage it.' He added that a public hearing could 'reassure' the public of the 'thoroughness' of the Parole Board's risk assessment and the probation resources which would be supervising her in the event of her release. 'This may go some way to address legitimate public concern about Ms Connelly,' judge Rook said. Connelly left prison in July 2022 after the Parole Board ruled she was suitable for release in March that year – having rejected three previous bids in 2015, 2017 and 2019 – after hearing she was considered to be at 'low risk of committing a further offence' and that probation officers and prison officials supported the plan. This was despite the panel highlighting concerns over Connelly's ability to manipulate and deceive, and hearing evidence of how she had become embroiled in prison romances and traded secret love letters with an inmate. Then-justice secretary Dominic Raab appealed against the decision, but a judge rejected his bid to keep her behind bars. Condemning the move, Mr Raab said at the time this was proof the parole system needs a 'fundamental overhaul'. She had previously been released on licence in 2013 but was recalled to prison in 2015 for breaching her parole conditions.

South Wales Argus
2 hours ago
- South Wales Argus
Mother of Baby P to face public parole hearing in October
The hearing, which has been listed for October 22 to 23 at an unconfirmed venue, is Tracey Connelly's first review since her second recall to prison in August last year for breaching her licence conditions. The now 44-year-old was jailed in 2009 for causing or allowing the death of her 17-month-old son Peter at their home in Tottenham, north London, on August 3 2007. Tracey Connelly's son Peter, known as Baby P, died after months of abuse in 2007 (ITV News/PA) The Parole Board received two applications for October's review to be held in public, which described Connelly's 'landmark case' as 'one of the most high-profile and devastating child protection failures in UK history' which 'permanently altered the conversation around safeguarding', according Judge Peter Rook KC's judgment. It was argued that the public still does not have access to the 'real details', citing that previous decisions around parole and recall have been made in private and a public hearing would 'provide crucial context to a case that remains deeply significant to the public'. A lawyer for Connelly argued against the hearing being made public, saying it poses a risk to her safety and that there is a 'high risk' her identity will be compromised as 'threats to her safety are real and current'. The legal representative also said Connelly has suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and depression, and that a public hearing will 'exacerbate' these issues and have a 'significant and detrimental effect' on her evidence at the parole hearing. But Judge Rook, on behalf of the chair of the Parole Board, said the lawyer acknowledged Connelly 'recovers well from these events'. According to his judgment, Connelly experienced 'offence-related bullying and aggression' after her recall to prison which 'led to a decline in her mental health' but the judge said she reportedly responded well, without resorting to violence, and has now 'stabilised'. Granting the application for October's hearing to be held in public, the judge said: 'There can be no doubt that there is a substantial public interest in this case. 'There is a strong public interest in the extent that Ms Connelly currently presents a risk and, if so, what measures are proposed in order to manage it.' He added that a public hearing could 'reassure' the public of the 'thoroughness' of the Parole Board's risk assessment and the probation resources which would be supervising her in the event of her release. 'This may go some way to address legitimate public concern about Ms Connelly,' judge Rook said. Connelly left prison in July 2022 after the Parole Board ruled she was suitable for release in March that year – having rejected three previous bids in 2015, 2017 and 2019 – after hearing she was considered to be at 'low risk of committing a further offence' and that probation officers and prison officials supported the plan. This was despite the panel highlighting concerns over Connelly's ability to manipulate and deceive, and hearing evidence of how she had become embroiled in prison romances and traded secret love letters with an inmate. Then-justice secretary Dominic Raab appealed against the decision, but a judge rejected his bid to keep her behind bars. Condemning the move, Mr Raab said at the time this was proof the parole system needs a 'fundamental overhaul'. She had previously been released on licence in 2013 but was recalled to prison in 2015 for breaching her parole conditions.