The heartbroken mother of a Scottish teenager who vanished three weeks ago has told Sky News she fears he could have been “picked up in a car”.
Cole Cooper, 19, was last seen by an old school friend on Wednesday 7 May in the village of Longcroft near Falkirk.
Prior to that, he was captured on CCTV a few days earlier after leaving a house party in the area.
His mum, Wendy Stewart, 42, allowed Sky News into her home as she revealed the pain her family is enduring.
Image: Cole’s mother Wendy Stewart (L) and his aunt Aimee Tennie
Wiping away tears, Ms Stewart said: “I don’t know what’s happened. He has not been seen. Is it a possibility he has been picked up by a car?
“I don’t want to start speculating but I just want answers. Somebody please come and tell us.”
She added: “It’s total heartache. It’s just so surreal. Is this actually happening? I have been wanting to wake up and it’s just been a big nightmare.”
Image: Pic: Police Scotland
Cole’s family say the joinery apprentice recently started up his own fencing and decking business, which was thriving.
His aunt Aimee Tennie who has arranged community searches and erected missing posters, has said he is a popular young man who enjoys karaoke.
The 32-year-old told Sky News: “He is well liked. He is well respected. He is a lovely boy. If he is out there, we want you to come home.
“We want answers. We miss you. We love you.”
Image: Pic: Police Scotland
Image: Pic: Family handout
Police Scotland said more than 220 properties have been visited and more than 1,000 hours of CCTV footage collected as part of the force’s efforts to find the teenager.
Specialist resources from across the country have been mobilised to help, including the police helicopter and drones from the air support unit, as well as officers from the dive and marine unit.
Ms Stewart said she would not lose hope of finding her son.
She said: “I am still praying that we get the outcome that we want which is Cole to come back home with us and to make more happy memories.”
Tasers can be used in prisons for the first time to tackle “unacceptably high” levels of violence, as part of a new trial.
Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has said she is “determined to keep prison staff safe”.
Specialist officers from two bases in Oxfordshire and Doncaster can now be deployed to incidents in adult male prisons in England and Wales, equipped with Tasers.
Image: In a demonstration hostage situation, officers used pyrotechnics to distract an aggressive inmate
Image: Officers tackled an aggressive ‘inmate’ after he was distracted by pyrotechnics in the demonstration
Reporters attending a demonstration were shown how they could be used in certain scenarios, where there is a threat to safety, including hostage situations or riots, and where multiple people are involved in “mass disorder”.
One demonstration involved four prisoners who had become disruptive in the exercise yard.
After staff were forced to withdraw, three inmates turned on one and it was deemed there was an “immediate threat to life.”
Officers gave verbal warnings before deploying the Tasers at a distance.
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This trial will use the Taser 7 model, which is what police officers currently use.
It can generate 50,000 volts when triggered, but drops to about 1,500 volts when hitting the target.
In a separate hostage situation, officers used pyrotechnics which produced loud bangs and smoke to distract an aggressive “inmate” before putting them in handcuffs.
Image: An ‘inmate’ is tackled by a security officer during a simulation
At first, specialist national officers from the two bases can be deployed if such incidents occur.
It’s understood at the moment these teams get 800 callouts a year – averaging just over two a day.
The trial will run until enough data is collected to determine whether Tasers should be rolled out more widely.
Ms Mahmood said she intends to have further updates in the autumn and will “consider” whether local staff inside jails can use them.
“From my perspective, this is very much the beginning,” she said.
Violence in prisons has been rising. In the 12 months to December there were 10,605 assaults on staff, a rise of 13% on the year before and a new peak. Serious assaults were also up 10% on the previous 12 months.
Image: A security officer demonstrates the Taser in use
Earlier this year, Manchester Arena bomb plotter Hashem Abedi attacked prison staff at the high-security jail HMP Frankland, using hot cooking oil and homemade, or improvised, weapons.
The justice secretary said the incident at Frankland “forced the pace” of further measures to tackle violence.
Southport killer Axel Rudakubana also allegedly attacked a member of staff at HMP Belmarsh by pouring hot water over them from inside his cell.
The Prison Officers Association (POA) union urged ministers to consider protective equipment and stab vests for staff.
Last month, the government announced the use of body armour at certain units in high-security jails, which house some of the most dangerous inmates.
But while “grateful” for a “step in the right direction”, the POA don’t think the new measure goes far enough – and instead want specialist staff inside jails trained to use Tasers.
“It is pointless a national response being several hours away if, locally, Taser is needed to immediately preserve life and combat threat,” Mark Fairhurst, the POA’s national chairman said.
Whitehall wants to consider the “lessons” from this trial before any potential further rollout.
Ms Mahmood pointed out that while Tasers have been used for many years by the police, “a custodial setting is different to usage in other scenarios”.
Paul Gallagher, the older brother of Oasis stars Noel and Liam, has been charged with multiple offences including rape.
The Metropolitan Police said Gallagher, 59, of East Finchley, north London, has been charged with rape, coercive and controlling behaviour, three counts of sexual assault, three counts of intentional strangulation, two counts of making a threat to kill and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
The offences are reported to have taken place between 2022 and 2024. The charges follow an investigation which began last year, the force added in a statement.
A woman is being supported by specially-trained officers, the statement continued.
Paul Gallagher, who is about one year older than Noel and seven years older than Liam, has never been involved in Oasis.
He is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 27 August.