By Megan Howe Published: 13:51 EDT, 8 October 2024 | Updated: 13:52 EDT, 8 October 2024
The mother of missing student Jack O’Sullivan said she was ‘thrilled’ after winning a long battle to get his phone data from EE, as she believes it could help unlock the mystery over what happened to him.Catherine O’Sullivan said the mobile phone giant has now allowed the release of the phone data after months of lobbying from herself, and the wider ‘Find Jack’ campaign, to get her son’s records released. Jack, 23, vanished without trace after being last seen at 3.15am on Saturday March 2 in the area of Brunel Lock Road/Brunel Way, in Bristol.On a social media post, Catherine said: ‘I just wanted to say a huge ‘Thank You’ to EE for allowing the release of the phone data that we have tried so hard to get over the last few months.’We really appreciate the help that they have given us – thankfully common sense prevailed in the end and we are so grateful!’ Catherine O’Sullivan (left) said the mobile phone giant EE has now allowed the release of the phone data after months of lobbying. She believes the data could unlock the mystery of what happened to her son Jack (right) Jack, 23, was last seen at 3.15am on Saturday, March 2 in the area of Brunel Lock Road/Brunel Way, in Bristol Jack’s last known movements have been retraced by his mum in a video posted to Facebook Jack’s phone sent its final GPS signal from an address in the nearby Granby Hill area at 6.44amPreviously Avon and Somerset Police have refused to release his phone records to the family and Catherine said they have had to take legal action to gain access to the data that includes where it was last tracked.Jack’s phone account belongs to Catherine although she has been unable to access the information.Avon and Somerset Police said it rejected the family’s original approach in August – citing the Home Office Communications Data Code of Practice and General Data Protection Regulation.Officers also said the information had not taken the investigation any further to be able to locate Jack.But Catherine, 52, of Flax Bourton, Somerset, said she wanted to review the data as she had concerns the police might have missed something. Jack O’Sullivan (centre) is pictured graduating with his parents Catherine (front) and Alan (right) and brother Ben (left) Jack O’Sullivan graduated from the University of Exeter and returned to Bristol for a law conversion Catherine recently retraced the steps her son took on CCTV with the videos posted on the ‘Find Jack’ campaign Facebook pageShe previously said she had lost trust in the police when they realised vital CCTV clues had been missed and not followed up.An EE spokesperson said: ‘We’re aware of Jack’s case. This is a police matter so we currently can’t comment any further at this time.’Assistant Chief Constable Joanne Hall said: ‘We have taken time to carefully consider the data request to see if there was any way we could agree to it in order for Jack’s family to get the answers they deserve following his disappearance.’However, on this occasion, we are restricted by law and have been unable to identify a clear legal basis which would allow for the disclosure to take place.’
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Mother of missing student Jack O’Sullivan wins battle to get his phone data from EE in bid to solve mystery of his disappearance