Updated statement on our investigation into missing Jack O’Sullivan

Our latest statement relating to the investigation into missing 23-year-old Jack O’Sullivan is below – details of how to contact us with information are at the end of this update.

Detectives have carried out an extensive investigation since Jack O’Sullivan went missing. He was last seen in the Cumberland Basin area of Bristol in the early hours of Saturday 2 March after leaving a house party in nearby Hotwells.

This investigation has included reviewing and re-reviewing more than 100 hours of CCTV footage, carrying out expert-led searches by land and water involving multiple teams, including the dog unit, drone unit and specialist dive team, proactively seeking and acting on advice from national policing specialists, and issuing multiple appeals to the public and media for information.

We’re continuing to seek further guidance and support from national experts, including an oceanographer, and we’re following any advice they offer.

Sadly, despite the efforts carried out to date, we’ve been unable to find Jack. We fully appreciate the distress and anguish this is having on Jack’s family and our thoughts are very much with them.

We recognise the family’s concerns over the way they’re receiving updates on the ongoing investigation, as well as with the investigation itself, and an Assistant Chief Constable has been in direct contact with them to arrange to meet with them so she can listen to their views and discuss how we can best support them moving forward. 

We’ve also received a formal complaint from Jack’s family and this was voluntarily referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

Although it didn’t meet the criteria for a mandatory referral, we felt it was important to refer it voluntarily to allow for independent oversight of our ongoing investigation and the matters raised by Jack’s family in their complaint to us. It’s important we remain as open and transparent as we can be, and this decision was in keeping with our overriding aim.

The IOPC responded to confirm the referral is suitable for a local investigation, so our Professional Standards Department are continuing to progress the complaint and will respond directly to Jack’s family when this process has concluded.