Ben Needham

Is this Ben Needham?

At the present time, as far as I am aware, there is no actual evidence, to confirm that Ben Needham, is alive or dead.

In 2003 with the consent of Ben’s Mother, Kerry, I set up the very first website featuring Ben’s case. I was very surprised that until I volunteered to help, there was no website up about Ben. It became routine that people would send me many emails and photographs and reported possible sightings, of a person who they believed could be missing Ben Needham. Many of these could be instantly discounted, but one or two stood out.

A lot has happened in recent years, but recently I have been reviewing material sent to me over the years. One of the most significant photographs, is the one featured here. It has never been published before. A copy of this photograph was handed to Kos Police when I again met with them in September 2020. I think it is a very interesting photograph, which has a great resemblance with jaw bone structure, shape of head, styling of hair – when compared with artists impressions created in recent years.

Another reason for my interest in this photograph is the location where it was taken – Turkey. As I stood in the tiny harbour of Kos, looking across the water you can clearly see the white houses, on the coast of Turkey.

What do you think? Do you think this could be Ben?

Reasons why Konstantinos ‘Dino’ Barkas was unlikely to be responsible for Ben Needhams Accidental death.

My new informant (September 2020) tells me that Dino was not present when Ben disappeared.
If Dino was responsible, why having just accidentally killed Ben, (and such a person would be in an absolute state of shock) would that person then walk up to the Farmhouse gate, and remove Ben’s toy cars from the ground? Such a move is not only not comprehendible, but the family say they were sitting the other side of the Farmhouse gate in the kitchen eating their lunch.
If Dino was responsible, he would have been the one to have removed Ben’s wet shorts, which were hanging on a tree branch, again directly outside the Farmhouse gate.
According to South Yorkshire Police, the JCB Dino was operating on the day Ben was last seen, was sold by Dino eighteen years after the disappearance. Why would Dino keep hold of this JCB for so long if it would implicate him in Ben’s death?

The distance we are talking about, to get a prospective on this, Dino would have been twelve feet away from family members, sitting inside the Farmhouse. All that separated Dino and family members, was an open door.

Did the JCB Digger driver Konstantinos ‘Dino’ Barkas really Accidentally kill Ben Needham?

Ben Needham Announcement – 30^th October 2020.

As a Private Investigator who has worked voluntarily on this case since 2003, I have recently returned from a further visit to Greece. Whilst there an informant, unexpectedly gave me interesting information. If verified this would alter the whole direction of this case.

South Yorkshire Police concluded in 2016, it was their professional opinion, that Ben Needham most likely died in an accident, with a mechanical JCB digger, which was operating in the area on the day Ben went missing. Although the driver of the digger, Konstantinos ‘Dino’ Barkas was working near the Farmhouse in Iraklise, where Ben was left to play, the informant has told me, that Dino was actually away from the property, around lunchtime, when it is said Ben disappeared. It was only when he returned to the Farmhouse after lunch, to recommence work, that he became aware that Ben had gone missing. This could be the most significant development in this case to date, if this information checks out.

My Involvement

Many of you will beware, Ben Needham was a British toddler who disappeared on the Greek island of Kos around lunchtime on the 24th July 1991. At that time he was just 21 months old. I have been involved in the Ben’s case since 2003. At that time neither the Kos or British Police, were doing anything to resolve this mysterious case. I was shocked that Ben’s family had not put up even a basic website to try and reach out to Ben, or to anyone who had any relevant information to progress his case.

I set up a website www.benneedhamstillmissing.info I knew publicity would be crucial and heighten the profile of this case. I visited Uri Geller at his home and he kindly offered support for my search.

Latterly Michael Jackson also expressed his support. I secured interviews for Kerry (Ben’s Mother) on various TV shows including Trisha and also Richard & Judy, and many radio stations. I was very happy to offer my expertise and time. I also traveled to Kos with Danny Ben’s uncle. I had several meetings with the Kos Police. At this time I developed a good working relationship with the family liaison officer assigned to Ben’s case at South Yorkshire Police.

As my website was the only place appealing for information, I used to get frequent reports of sightings from people who believed they had spotted Ben. I must have received hundreds of snap shots during the early years of my investigation. These sightings usually increased during the summer months with many British tourists travelling to Greece it’s Islands and nearby Turkey.

Around 2007/2008 I received an email from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Force. They had received a tip off that a person who could be Ben Needham was living in their community. The Detective asked me if I wanted him to see if the young man, would voluntarily provide a DNA sample. It could then be sent to me so I could arrange testing in the UK. The young man was happy to provide it, and the Detective dispatched it to me.

On the 4th July 2008 a warrant was executed at my home. The warrant had been obtained by a Licensing officer working for the Vale of Glamorgan Council. She had been harassing me for 12 months. Bizarrely the Licensing officer removed several files on Ben Needham from my office. The DNA sample from Canada was in one of the files. The Licensing officer of course had no authority under the warrant, to remove such property, but that didn’t stop her. When my property was returned the following year in February 2009 the DNA had been lost. So there was never an opportunity for me to arrange testing to see if it matched Ben’s DNA profile. We lost a significant opportunity to attempt to advance this case.

Here is a link to a feature published in the Mail on Sunday 24th January 2016.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article/Ben-Needham

In 2018 I am planning to instigate a fresh approach, to advancing this case. Look out for my posts and also follow me on twitter.

A Photo Gallery

Here are some photographs relevant to my Professional life.

Ben Needham a photo taken by Ben’s family on Kos Island.

One of my own photos of Lord Lucan’s former home. This was the front cover of my book ‘Lord Lucan Africa a new beginning.’

The Lost Boy documentary

This is a full length documentary, (transmission copy), which was broadcast on UK television some years ago.

about Ben Needham

Ben Needham (born 29 October 1989 in Sheffield) is a British child who disappeared on 24 July 1991 on the Greek island of Kos. At the time of his disappearance, he was aged 21 months. After initial searches failed to locate him, he was believed to have been kidnapped. Despite numerous claims of sightings, his whereabouts remain unknown.

In October 2012, South Yorkshire Police began to follow a line of inquiry which suggested that Ben had been accidentally killed and buried in a mound of rubble by an excavator driver working in a field adjoining the house where he was last seen. Extensive excavation of the rubble was undertaken by British and Greek Police. One item of particular interest to the police was a Dinky toy car, which they hoped to recover and believed could be “key to discovering his fate.” The search failed to detect any human remains or items belonging to Ben.

In September 2016, the police returned to Kos to carry out further excavations. Although no remains were found, a yellow Dinky car, believed to have been Ben’s, was recovered. Detective Inspector Jon Cousins, heading the inquiry, said: “It is my professional belief that Ben Needham died as a result of an accident near to the farmhouse in Iraklis where he was last seen playing. The recovery of this item, and its location, further adds to my belief that material was removed from the farmhouse on or shortly after the day that Ben disappeared.”