Why it took police five years to uncover disturbing truth after seven-year-old-boy was abducted from funfair

Warning: This article contains discussion of child abuse and rape which some readers may find distressing.

Following the release of a harrowing new Channel 5 documentary into the 1984 disappearance of British youngster Mark Tildesley last week, viewers have been left riddled with questions about the efficiency of the police investigation.

The two-part true-crime series Child Snatchers: A Day At The Fair premiered on Tuesday evening (3 September), and pledged to revisit Mark's case 43 years after he vanished from a funfair in Wokingham - an event which sparked a large-scale investigation into missing children.

Despite the movement - known as 'Operation Orchid', which was formed five years after Mark's disappearance - going on to uncover the existence of a depraved ring of murderous paedophiles the seven-year-old had fallen victim to.

Followers of the case have been left wondering why it took so long for police to get to the bottom of the fate that befell Mark.

How Mark Tildesley disappeared

For those unfamiliar with the case, on 1 June 1984, Mark set off from his home in Wokingham with the hope of attending a funfair in his local area, having saved up money he'd earned from returning trolleys to a nearby Tesco supermarket.

The Woking youngster disappeared in June 1984 (Handout)

He set off at around 5.30pm, promising his parents he'd be home in time for his 7.30pm curfew.

After he failed to return home, his parents ventured to the funfair, but the only trace of their son was his bicycle which had been chained to a railing in the nearby area.

The police investigation

A nationwide appeal for information surrounding Mark's disappearance was launched, with images of the child being plastered across the UK.

Thames Valley Police scoured all nearby bodies of water, over 100 British Army soldiers searched the town, and Mark's disappearance became focus of the premiere episode of the BBC television series Crimewatch UK.

Leslie Bailey admitted his part in Mark's capture, rape and murder (ITN Productions/Channel 5)

Two weeks after Mark's parents alerted police to his disappearance, Detective Superintendent Roger Nicklin told press they still had 'absolutely no idea' of the fate that befell the youngster.

Slowly, the search for Mark died down.

A breakthrough five years later

It wasn't until five years later that the Metropolitan Police launched an enquiry into the disappearance of missing children, after the press released a story suggesting a link between Mark and a series of attempted abductions of young children in the Wokingham area.

As part of the investigation, in 1990, police were led to convicted paedophile Leslie Bailey, who was already serving time at Wandsworth Prison for two separate child murders.

A letter was also found in the prison, written by Bailey and addressed to Sidney Cooke, implying the fairground worker was also part of a paedophile ring inhabiting the local area, which was subsequently named the 'Dirty Dozen'.

Sidney Cooke evaded conviction for Mark's murder (ITN Productions/Channel 5)

Eventually, Bailey revealed to police that Cooke had abducted Mark on the night he disappeared.

What really happened to Mark

Bailey - alongside his lover Lennie Smith - had travelled from London to the site, where Cooke dragged the child into the back of a car.

Another man, known as 'Odd Bod', was also involved in the crime.

The four men then handed the young boy a glass of milk which had been laced with muscle-relaxant, before proceeding to rape him.

Further drugs were plied down Mark's throat, before Bailey realised he was already dead.

Bailey drove back to London, leaving Cooke to dispose of the child's remains.

Cooke - who was also serving time for manslaughter of another individual - denied any involvement in the crime.

No charges were brought against him after the CPS deemed evidence of his alleged role to be lacking.

As was the case for Lennie Smith, who died of AIDS while serving time for a separate crime in 2006.

The individual known as 'Odd Bod' was also ruled out after police deemed him to have the mental age of an eight-year-old.

Leslie Bailey was given two life sentences, before being murdered in prison in 1993.

Mark's body has still never been found.

You can catch up with Child Snatchers: A Day At The Fair on My5.

If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence regarding the welfare of a child, contact the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000, 10am-8pm Monday to Friday. If you are a child seeking advice and support, call Childline for free on 0800 1111, 24/7.