Yzabelle Bostyn
A NEW investigation has been opened into the death of Simon Parkes, a Royal Navy sailor who mysteriously disappeared in Gibraltar on December 12, 1986.
Minister for Justice, Nigel Feetham, has an inquest the green light after a campaign by local news outlet, GBC.
“We’ve waited 37 years for this,” said Margaret Parkes, Simon’s mother. “We are very grateful to everyone that has taken part.”
She originally requested the inquest in 2006, without success.
“It was rejected because they said there was no reason to believe he was dead. I’m sure any investigation would take a long time, but we’re hopeful. It could give us more answers and of course, a death certificate which would help us get closure,” she continued.
READ MORE: New lead in Simon Parkes Gibraltar murder probe 36 years ago takes police to new Upper Rock site
Parkes was just 18 when he disappeared from the boat he worked on, the HMS Illustrious, during a stop in Gibraltar.
Both the family and investigators are reportedly convinced the young sailor was a victim of serial killer Allan Grimson, an ex navy official who was also on board at the time.
Hampshire Police, alongside Gibraltar Police and the Minister of Defence, have carried out multiple searches in the surrounding area.
Grimson, known as the ‘Frankenstein Killer’ due to his wide forehead and burly stature has been described as a ‘natural serial killer.’
He was sentenced to 22 years in prison in 2001 for the murder of navy sailor Nicholas Wright and barman Sion Jenkins.
In 2002, The Sunday Mirror reported that Grimson had confessed to the killing of Parkes, but has since denied this.
Parkes was last seen at 22:30 pm on the day of his disappearance, where he was drinking in the same pub as Grimson, The Horseshoe.
Another sailor who was there that night testified that he, Grimson and a man who looked like Parkes returned to the ship but Grimson and Parkes decided to return to the town centre.
READ MORE: Fresh appeal to find sailor Simon Parkes missing since 1986
