Police Investigate Possible Abduction in Case of Missing British Teen, Alex Batty

Police have launched a criminal investigation into the case of Alex Batty, a 17-year-old who went missing while on holiday in Spain six years ago. Following his return from France, officers from Greater Manchester Police have interviewed Alex. They had previously stated that they couldn't confirm the nature of the investigation until Alex provided a statement. Alex was found walking in the French Pyrenees by a delivery driver who spotted him on a road near Toulouse. Alex's mother and grandfather had taken him on a pre-arranged holiday to Marbella, but he disappeared on the day they were supposed to return to the UK. It is believed that Alex had been living with a spiritual community in Morocco after his mother and grandfather sought an alternative lifestyle. He had been living in the remote Pyrenean valleys, moving from place to place. Alex was reunited with his family in the UK last week and in an interview, he admitted lying about his escape to protect his mother and grandfather.