The father of a man who vanished while on a night out with friends 12 years ago has told Sky News he believes his son was murdered, as he appealed for help to solve the tragic mystery.
Allan Bryant was just 23 years old when he disappeared in Fife on Sunday, 3 November 2013.
Speaking to Sky News, dad Allan Bryant Snr said: “It’s actually destroyed my family. We hold it together for our two daughters, but it’s affected them as well.
“Our lives have stopped until we find out what’s happened to Allan.”
The night before he went missing, Celtic fan Allan had walked with friends from his home in Ednam Drive, Glenrothes, to an engagement party at Leslie Golf Club.
He arrived at the venue around 9pm and left at about 12am when he travelled by minibus to Styx nightclub.
Allan was last captured on CCTV leaving the club at about 2.02am on the Sunday.
He never made the one-mile walk home and he has not been seen or heard from since.
Significant enquiries have taken place since then, including painstaking searches of the River Leven, ponds, wells, quarries and woodland.
Allan’s family even hired a pilot to fly a Cessna plane over the region to capture high-definition aerial photographs of the area.
Information received from the public has covered a wide range of scenarios, including that he was harmed in some way.
Police Scotland said all information has been investigated thoroughly, but there is currently no evidence of criminality and Allan’s disappearance remains a missing person inquiry.
However, his family believe differently.
Mr Bryant said from information received over the years, the family is in “no doubt” that Allan went to a house party after leaving Styx.
He alleged: “And something’s happened to Allan and they’ve disposed of him. He’s been murdered there.”
Mr Bryant said his son, who would now be 35, was not suicidal and had talked about attending college.
He believes if Allan had simply got lost or disorientated while walking home, a body would have been discovered by now.
Mr Bryant said he spent “countless hours” going through the hundreds of aerial images captured via the Cessna flyover, but there was no sign of Allan.
He said: “Back then there was only a few houses with CCTV, doorbells weren’t a thing, nor were dashcams. We have tried everything possible.”
In 2020, human remains were found by an urban explorer at an abandoned industrial unit in Glenrothes.
The remains belonged to that of murder victim Ean Coutts, 66, who had been killed and dumped the year before by David Barnes.
Mr Bryant had hoped for closure: “We were actually hoping it was Allan.”
Over the years, the family has been targeted with abuse, with one online troll being jailed for his twisted messages.
And just last year, an anonymous note was posted to a family address in which the taunter claimed to know where Allan’s “head without his eyes” was located.
Police Scotland were reportedly unable to retrieve any traces of DNA or fingerprints from the letter.
Mr Bryant does not believe there was any truth behind the note, adding: “People like that really knock you back. They’re just sick in the head.”
Allan’s father and other family members – mother Marie Degan, 55, and sisters Amy, 29, and Sophie, 21 – have continually campaigned to keep his name in the public domain.
They even drive a car which features photos and details of his disappearance in the hope someone will come forward with information.
Mr Bryant said: “He’s my son. And I know for a fact if it was me, Allan wouldn’t give up on me.
“I’m never going to give up on my son. I know the worst has happened to him. I want to find my son and I want to bring him back home.
“And the people who are responsible, I want them to face justice.”
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Mr Bryant urged anyone with information to come forward and report what they know.
He added: “And just end this nightmare for our family, so we can put Allan to rest and try and move on with our lives.”
Allan’s family has moved house twice since that fateful night.
The family has two memory bears that were created from Allan’s clothing. And when they left their Ednam Drive home, sibling Amy saved a scrap of his bedroom wallpaper as a memento.
Mr Bryant said: “It was hard to move out.”
Allan’s little sister Sophie recently celebrated her 21st birthday.
Mr Bryant said: “We had a party for her 21st, but you just think Allan should have been there. Just like he should have been there for Amy’s 21st.
“All you think about is Allan first thing in the morning. Even at night-time you’re having dreams about him or the information you’ve got.”
Mr Bryant said his son was “full of carry on”, adding: “He was always taking the mick out of his mates and playing pranks on them and playing pranks on his two sisters.
“Everybody liked him, he was a good laugh. A lot of his friends miss him.”
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A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Allan Bryant remains a missing person and officers continue to make enquiries to trace him.”
The force said any new information will be assessed and those who can assist should call 101 or email the inquiry team direct via [email protected].
