Husband charged with murder 20 years after pregnant wife went missing

A RINGWOOD man has been charged with murdering his pregnant wife 20 years after he reported her missing.

Andrew Griggs (56), of Ringwood Road, St Leonards, appeared at Medway Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday accused of killing Debbie Griggs.

She was 34 when she went missing from the family’s then home in Walmer, Deal, on 5th May 1999 while four-and-a-half months pregnant.

Her abandoned car was located in Deal the week after but no trace of her has since been found.

The case has been regularly reviewed by Kent Police. It has been reported the Griggs’ marriage was officially dissolved in 2007 and in September of that year her family held a thanksgiving service in her memory.

Her mother, Pat, who lives in Dorset, had campaigned for answers over the disappearance. However, a Facebook page set up in Debbie’s memory announced in January that Pat had died.

A Kent police spokesperson said: “Despite extensive searches and appeals for information, detectives were unable to locate Debbie who was a devoted mother of three young children and expecting her fourth child.”

In the years since Mrs Griggs’ disappearance her husband and their three children relocated the family home to Ringwood.

Mr Griggs was remanded in custody and was due to have appeared at Maidstone Crown Court on Thursday.