Major Cleveland Police investigation continues into decades-old cases of girls who disappeared

Operation Pandect was launched to revisit the cases of Donna Keogh, Rachel Wilson and Vicky Glass, three young women who disappeared from Middlesbrough

In 2018, a huge investigation was launched by Cleveland Police in a bid to finally catch the killers of three young Teesside women. Operation Pandect was set up to revisit the cases of Donna Keogh, Rachel Wilson and Vicky Glass.

A fourth probe was expected to uncover 'substantial' historic child sex exploitation in the Cleveland Police force area . Costing up to £24m and expected to take around six years to complete, the Home Office-backed operation has been successful in catching Rachel Wilson's killer while also helping bring a violent rapist to justice.

We take a look at the investigation and the developments so far:

Cleveland Police told Teesside Live there are currently 62 officers and staff members working on the operation. The inquiry has continued to receive Home Office funding each year since the launch.

A Cleveland Police spokeswoman said: "Operation Pandect continues to be carried out by Cleveland Police's Historic Investigation Unit (HIU), with financial support from Home Office Special Grant funding. In 2024/25, that Home Office funding allocation was over £1.8m; with a total of over £4m expected to be spent as part of the ongoing investigation. We continue to be in contact with the Home Office around funding options for the future."

The force has a publication strategy in place for requests for information relating to Operation Pandect. The section 22 exemption means information relating to the historic investigations will not be shared until the conclusion of the investigation and any criminal legal process which follows.

At the time Operation Pandect was launched, a damning review by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire Services highlighted "poor quality" investigations and blunders by the force in relation to the three tragic victims. The review noted that the force did not regard Rachel's or Donna's cases as homicides, even after the tragic discovery of Vicky Glass's body and two other murders of young women - Kellie Louise Mallinson in September 2000 and Sarah Jane Coughlin in August 2003.

Among complaints made against the force by Donna Keogh's family were allegations that statements had been lost and crucial witnesses and potential suspects were not interviewed by detectives. Cleveland Police admitted there had been "shortfalls" in the investigations and would look into potential police misconduct.

What is Operation Pandect?

The investigation includes four stems:

Operation Resolute relates to the investigation into the murder of Donna Keogh. The 17-year-old was last seen at a house party in Bow Street in Middlesbrough in May 1998. It is believed she was murdered shortly after. Her heartbroken family has never had closure as Donna's body has never been found with no-one brought to justice.

Operation Ardent concerns 21-year-old Stockton woman Vicky Glass, whose body was found in North Yorkshire on November 3, 2000. She was last seen around 4.20am on Sunday, September 24, that year on Union Street in Middlesbrough at the junction with Eshwood Square.

As in Donna's case, Vicky's killer has never been caught. in 2021 a detailed review was carried out and the following year, officers returned to Danby to re-launch an appeal to the community for information.

Operation Seyton related to Rachel Wilson, who was 19 when she was reported missing in June 2002. Ten years later, her remains were found on farmland in Middlesbrough.

Keith Hall was charged with her murder in December 2019. He finally confessed to killing Rachel in May 2021, on the day he was due to be tried. Aged 62 at the time of his conviction, the killer who had lived at Lambton Road, Grove Hill, Middlesbrough, denied murder- but pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was jailed for 18 and a half years.

Operation Sturgeon relates to "substantial" historic child sexual exploitation in the Cleveland Police area are as well as previously unrecorded sex offences which the inquiry was expected to uncover. The report by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire Services (HMICFRS) which followed a grant application to the Home Office said the following:

"We anticipate that renewed police investigation will uncover instances of child sexual abuse, which will result in further scrutiny. It is anticipated that the level of previously unrecorded sexual crimes and the level of child sexual abuse and exploitation will be substantial."

Appeals relating to the three historic cases helped bring justice for eight women who suffered at the hands of serial rapist Junior Bryan. In 2020, Bryan was convicted of 20 offences, including rape, false imprisonment and living on prostitution.

One of his victims had contacted police in 2017 after reading about Donna's case. Bryan, who was 63 at the time of his conviction, carried out his horrific crimes between 1993 and 2013.

Donna Keogh's parents previously told Teesside Live they believe the historic investigations unit now leading their daughter's inquiry will leave no stone unturned. "We have got a lot of faith in this team," mum Shirley said. "They are thorough and professional and I think they are going to give us closure. I really do."