New calls for police to review new evidence in 'missing' Levi Davis case

The mother of Levi Davis, a former rugby player and Celebrity X Factor star who went missing, is urging the police to re-examine new evidence in the case. She claims that investigators did not put in the same effort to find her son as they did for Jay Slater and Madeleine McCann.

The 26 year old ex-Bath player who is originally from Birmingham was last seen at The Old Irish Pub in Barcelona on October 29, 2022, and the official investigation by the Mossos d'Esquadra, Barcelona's police force, was closed the following year. A 14-month investigation by Byline Times found "serious failings" in the Spanish probe, including flaws in a police report that suggested Davis probably drowned at sea under strange circumstances, and an unexplained failure to obtain CCTV footage of him in Barcelona.

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Davis's mother, Julie, stated: "We have felt abandoned by the police and I believe Levi was a victim of crime in the UK and in Spain. So many things do not add up."

"I’m determined to fight for the truth."

"They pulled out the stops to find Jay Slater and search and pursue justice for Madeleine McCann. They need to do the same now for Levi."

"Until his body is found, I will not give up hope," she added. Four days before Mr Davis disappeared, he uploaded a distressing video on Instagram, claiming his life was at risk after exposing an alleged blackmail scheme involving compromising photos taken when he was drugged and assaulted.

The Byline Times' investigation by journalists Dan Evans and Tom Latchem unearthed evidence supporting claims of sextortion linked to OnlyFans and pinpointed a "top TV executive" implicated by Mr Davis in the extortion plot. Mr Evans revealed: "We’ve looked into every aspect of Levi’s case and we can prove he was groomed online under false pretences."

He further disclosed: "We’ve also found four witnesses who connect the same individual to the blackmail claims and two others who say OnlyFans was one intended conduit for Levi to earn money for what he said was a sex-trafficking outfit."

The team has made significant new findings regarding the police's main theory that Levi drowned, including the likelihood that unidentified individuals were involved if it was indeed him seen crying for help in a busy shipping lane a mile offshore, challenging the official conclusion that there is no evidence of a crime.

A man was reportedly spotted struggling in the water one nautical mile out to sea early on October 30, 2022. Mr Latchem stated: "Our objective was to make the case for further investigation into Levi’s disappearance."

He also expressed alarm over "some glaring holes in the work of the police in Spain" and mentioned finding proof of Levi being targeted in the UK.

"We now think there are clear grounds for a joined-up review involving police in both countries, starting with the rape and blackmail allegations."

According to the Byline Times, the Mossos d’Esquadra have refrained from commenting and directed inquiries to the judicial authorities, though a courts’ representative also declined to comment. Ms Phillips, representing Ms Davis as her MP, expressed to the media in July: "It’s clear that some lines of inquiry connected to the disappearance of Mr Davis have yet to be properly explored."

"All avenues and inquiries should be exhausted both in the United Kingdom and Catalonia. Too many questions remain for the family and friends of Mr Davis and I would urge the police in both jurisdictions to work together to act on any new information."

Janet Hills, former president of the National Black Police Association and chairperson of the Met Black Police Association, emphasised the need for UK police to "reinvestigate this from scratch".

"There should be questions asked until there is nothing left to be done," she stated firmly. Moreover, Hills called for a reconstruction, comparing the required effort to the Madeline McCann case, suggesting "a dedicated unit looking at it."

As a familiar face on television, Mr Davis made appearances on ITV’s Celebrity X Factor in 2019, with fellow rugby stars Ben Foden and Thom Evans as part of the group Try Star, and subsequently featured on E4’s Celebs Go Dating in 2020.