THE household of a lacking Belfast man believes one among his acquaintances has fled Spain following his widely-publicised disappearance.
John Hardy, aka John George, 37, has been lacking from the Alicante area since December 14, when he made a ‘distressed’ telephone name to his household.
He had been resulting from drive from Alicante to Benidorm on that day however is believed to have by no means arrived.
The search, involving a 50-strong crew of principally Northern Irish residents, is now specializing in the Cabo Roig space of Alicante and Torrevieja.
His sister Courtney George advised El Español: “It’s been the worst New 12 months’s Eve of our lives, I don’t need it to be 2025.”
Family members, together with John’s father Billy George, are satisfied he was murdered after being ‘lured’ to Spain underneath ‘false’ pretences of a vacation.
Tons of of individuals attended a vigil in Belfast final night time as they demanded solutions from those that know what occurred.
John arrived to Alicante on December 4 and was resulting from fly again to Belfast on December 18 for Christmas, however by no means made his flight.
Courtney claimed: “His good friend is the primary suspect. He isn’t a superb particular person, he was harmful and had medicine and weapons.”
She stated the good friend, who can’t be named for authorized causes, has supplied no assist to seek out John and will have fled to Thailand instantly after the alleged crime – though she admitted they don’t have any concrete proof to assist that principle.
Sources from the Judicial Police of Pilar de la Horadada advised El Español that the case remains to be being handled as lacking individuals investigation – regardless of earlier studies in Northern Irish media that it was being handled as against the law.
Courtney added: “Members of the family, mates and other people from Belfast have come who wish to assist search for his physique. We’re a giant household, and John was well-known and beloved.
“We’re looking out in Alicante, Benidorm and Torrevieja. We solely need his physique again, that’s the reason we’re providing a big reward. We wish to go dwelling to bury him and by no means return to Spain once more.”
She admitted than Spanish police ‘are serving to’ however that the police system is ‘very totally different’ from Belfast.
Different members of the family criticised Spanish authorities on the outset of the seek for what they initially perceived as inaction.
It comes after John’s brother Darren advised The Irish News that the incident ‘is all linked again dwelling’, including: “We had been advised as quickly as we acquired out right here that John had been killed, that he had been shot.
“John was lured right here on false data to fulfill mates on a vacation. John was lured over right here to be shot useless… he thought he was coming over right here for just a few days and can be dwelling after that. However John’s not coming dwelling alive.”
Darren stated he believes these accountable carried out the alleged killing in Spain as a result of it could be simpler for them to ‘get away with it’.
However he stated they’ve underestimated the quantity of assist that John has again dwelling.
Echoing John’s cousin’s sentiments final week, he additionally criticised Spanish police, claiming they’re ‘not taking the data we now have given them about that severely.’
He claimed: “Once we went to the police station the opposite day, they advised us to depart. They advised us to get out and that was that.
“We’re getting nowhere with the police providers over right here, there was no searches, no canine, no rescue groups. It’s as if it hasn’t occurred.”
Darren went on to confess that John had change into concerned within the felony world however was ‘beloved unconditionally’.
He stated he ‘lived for his youngsters’ and ‘would have executed something for them’, describing him because the household’s ‘go-to particular person in the event you had been having a nasty day.’
The Alicante Guardia Civil stated in a press release: “The Guardia Civil in Alicante had been knowledgeable of the disappearance of a 37-year-old Irish man on 21 December, by the identify of John Hardy.
“From that second our brokers have been finishing up search efforts, and are unable to offer any data at the moment.”
Spanish police are recognized for protecting their playing cards near their chests throughout any investigation.
They very hardly ever replace the press or public till a major breakthrough is made, particularly within the early days of a lacking individuals case.
