Parents’ fury over delay in reporting son missing
Parents’ fury over delay in reporting son missing
Ken and Kerstin Rudd, from Pocklington, have criticized the Army for its delayed response in reporting their son missing, claiming the oversight could have jeopardized his life. L/Cpl Ryan Rudd, 28, was last spotted at the New Inn in Selby on 15 February during a night out and never returned to his barracks at Catterick Garrison. The couple only learned of his absence when a senior officer contacted them on 1 March, asking if he was at home. They described the two-week gap in communication as a critical factor in the search efforts.
Army investigation underway
The Army confirmed it had reported Ryan missing to North Yorkshire Police on 1 March 2026. An ongoing inquiry is being conducted in collaboration with the local police force. Ken Rudd, who served in the military, explained that soldiers are typically tracked through a combination of nominal and electronic roll calls. “They should know where each individual is,” he said, highlighting the failure to cross-check Ryan’s whereabouts for two consecutive Mondays.
“It was awful. The fact that nobody noticed he was missing for two weeks was shocking,” Kerstin Rudd added. “We couldn’t believe it was happening.”
The couple believes Ryan would not have left on his own. “He’s a soldier, it’s in his nature to go out with mates and return home,” Ken said. “He had no reason to disappear.” Kerstin mentioned they had planned to meet in another pub after splitting from a friend, but Ryan was denied entry. “We don’t know if he contacted anyone to say he hadn’t seen him,” she said.
Police remain open-minded
North Yorkshire Police have stated they are still considering multiple possibilities for Ryan’s disappearance, including the likelihood he entered the River Ouse. The couple hopes sharing their story might prompt someone in Selby to recall details from the night of 15 February. “The slightest thing might help the police find out what happened,” Kerstin said, expressing concern that evidence could have been lost due to the delay.
Ken described his frustration with the Army’s failure to track Ryan’s movements. “For missing those two weeks and not knowing where he was, this has potentially cost my son his life,” he said. The couple emphasized their belief in Ryan’s loyalty to the Army, noting he had been enjoying his service and was “out of character” to vanish without a trace.
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