Claudia's father defends police

Last week Martin Dales, Peter Lawrence's official spokesman, issued a attack on the North Yorkshire Police force's conduct into Miss Lawrence's disappearance.

He accused officers of being "uncivil, rude, abrupt and dismissive" towards the people helping the enquiry and of ignoring tip-offs.

He also called for an independent review into the force's investigation which, despite enjoying extensive media coverage and significant resources, has failed to locate Miss Lawrence after 14 months.

However last night Mr Lawrence said that the comments did not reflect his views and that he had not been aware of its being released. He also stated that in his view the police force had been "most courteous" and rejected calls for an inquiry into the force's conduct.

Mr Lawrence said: "I was not aware of any of the content of last week's release, nor even of the fact that it was to be issued. The words and sentiments are those of Martin Dales and not me, as he tells me he tried to make clear. The statement does not in any way reflect my views or my opinion.

"No member of the North Yorkshire Police investigation team has ever been 'rude and unhelpful', every one of them has been most courteous.

"I have not made any call for an independent review of the police investigation and I was already aware of the proposed NPIA review, which is not the first.

"Subject of course to operational constraints the Senior Investigating Officer and his team have answered such questions as I have put to them. There have of course been issues, and minor differences of opinion or emphasis, as would be expected, but these have been resolved quietly by discussion."

Mr Lawrence added that he had been moved to issue a new statement on his views after media coverage gave the impression that he was "ungrateful" to the police hunting his daughter.

He said: "On the contrary, I am most grateful firstly to North Yorkshire Police, and in particular the investigation team, for continuing to investigate Claudia's disappearance. Secondly, to the Police Authority for continuing to sanction and fund the investigation. Thirdly, but by no means least, to the North Yorkshire public for their contribution and support which has been invaluable to me, and has sustained me over the past 14 months.

"I, and the rest of the family, rely on all this support to help us find a resolution to this nightmare and, as the campaign title says, to Find Claudia."

Earlier this month the Yorkshire Post detailed how North Yorkshire Police had commissioned the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) to carry out an external review, with a team of investigators expected to report back in June.

It is the second such investigation into the force with the previous inquiry having praised the force's "integrity and objectivity".

Mr Dales is a close friend of Miss Lawrence's father and has been

acting as his official spokesman for the past few months.

He said last night he was sorry for any misunderstanding and that he would continue to serve as Mr Lawrence's spokesman.

"Peter was worried that he came across as ungrateful," he said. "Something which is totally not the case."