Police have released an artist’s impression showing what a missing man might look like 17 months after his disappearance. Shane Barnett was last seen leaving University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff on Sunday, May 7, 2023. Since then, South Wales Police says it has carried out extensive inquiries to try and locate him, but there have been no confirmed sightings. Mr Barnett was known to live a “transient lifestyle” and could possibly be living in a tent, according to police. He grew up in Bettws but has links to Swansea and Cardiff. His mother, Diane Bush, made a plea for her son to get in touch, emphasizing how he was “very much wanted, and very much loved.”
A statement from South Wales Police read: “Can you help? An artist’s impression shows how missing man Shane Barnett might look now. Shane, 49, was last seen 17 months ago, leaving the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, on Sunday, May 7, 2023. Extensive inquiries have been carried out to locate Shane but there have been no confirmed sightings since he was seen on Allensbank Road, close to the hospital, at around 12.30pm that day. Shane grew up in Bettws and is known to live a transient lifestyle and could possibly be living in a tent. He has links to Swansea and has previously lived in the Roath area of Cardiff.
Shane is described as 6ft 5ins tall, of slim build with short, light grey hair. He was last seen wearing a grey North Face t-shirt, a black jacket, green cargo trousers, black trainers, and had a black rucksack with him. In May, Shane’s mother, Diane Bush, from Bridgend, made an emotional plea for information on the anniversary of his disappearance. She said: “Shane must feel like he’s the most unwanted person in the world and he’s not at all. He’s very much wanted, and he’s very much loved. My message to Shane is please just get in touch. I’ll come to get you wherever you are, please just let us know that you’re alive. I’m living in Bridgend I can come anywhere to get you.”
“And if anybody knows where Shane is, please do the decent thing and let us know one way or the other, even if they were to turn around and say, ‘I’m sorry he passed away’. We really need him to come home. I don’t know if he realises how much we love him.” Anyone who may have seen Shane, or who has information which will help officers find him, is asked to contact South Wales Police quoting occurrence number 2300147308. You can do so via its live chat platform, providing information on its website, by emailing swp101@south-wales.police.uk, or calling 101.