Mother of sailor missing for 40 years urges suspected killer to confess

Margaret Parkes, an 80-year-old retired primary school teacher, has called for Allan Grimson to finally reveal the location of her son Simon's remains. Simon Parkes vanished 40 years ago while serving as an 18-year-old Royal Navy sailor when his ship docked in Gibraltar on 12 December 1986. Grimson, a former navy petty officer who served on the same vessel, has long been suspected of the disappearance, though he denies it. The mother royal family of grief and uncertainty has hung over the family for four decades as they were never able to hold a funeral.

Grimson has been imprisoned for more than 25 years after admitting to the 1997 and 1998 murders of two young navy men, Nicholas Wright and Sion Jenkins, in Hampshire on the exact same date of 12 December. The sentencing judge in 2001 described him as a serial killer in nature. In July this year, Grimson was convicted by a jury of sexual offences against four boys and men committed in the 1990s. On Friday, Judge Paul Dugdale sentenced him to another 22 years in jail, meaning his life sentence for the two murders means he may never be freed.

Margaret Parkes calls on suspected killer Allan Grimson to reveal where her son's body is hidden.

During the recent trial, Judge Dugdale acknowledged Grimson as a suspect in Simon Parkes' disappearance. Margaret Parkes followed the legal proceedings from her home near Bristol and praised the four men who courageously came forward to testify, preventing Grimson from potentially being released on parole following a 2020 recommendation.

Over the years, searches in Gibraltar failed to locate Simon's remains, preventing the family from obtaining a death certificate. However, an inquest for Simon is scheduled to be held in Gibraltar next year following a campaign by local journalist Ros Astengo. Margaret and her 84-year-old husband, David, face health issues but hope to attend if possible, seeking closure after decades of pain.

Why it matters

This case highlights the enduring trauma families face when missing persons cases remain unresolved for decades. The recent sentencing of Allan Grimson and the upcoming inquest in Gibraltar offer a renewed chance for answers, impacting public awareness around historical crimes and the vital importance of victims and witnesses coming forward.