A MAN recalled the last time he spoke to his former colleague who went missing eight years ago, at an inquest yesterday.

Terry McCartney told North London Coroner’s Court he remembered Lee Sheppard as an “enthusiastic” worker who was “keen to know all about the machinery” at European Metal Recycling (EMR) in Willesden where they had worked.

In 2002 Mr McCartney was employed as a project manager at the refrigerator recycling plant but said he was in the process of leaving for another job around the date Mr Sheppard was last seen on January 31, 2003.

Mr Sheppard, who would have turned 34 last month and his wife, Juliet Sheppard, 31 came to England in April 2002 from their home in New Zealand as part of a working holiday.

The couple, who were living in Cricklewood Lane, Cricklewood, had found out they were expecting their first child just days before Mr Sheppard’s disappearance, and had discussed returning to their home town of Paparoa.

Mr McCartney told the court Mr Sheppard had asked for a reduction in the hours he worked because he “wanted to spend more time with his wife and family”.

Despite having initially been told his request could not be met, on the evening of January 30, 2003 Mr McCartney phoned Mr Sheppard at his home to tell him “all was not lost”.

He said Mr Sheppard, who was due to work a night shift that evening, should speak with one of EMR’s department managers before he left work the following morning.

In a statement taken on February 19 2003, Mr McCartney said: “Lee seemed perfectly happy and he seemed relaxed.”

However, on the morning of January 31, 2003, he received phone calls saying Mr Sheppard had not worked his night shift.

Mr McCartney said he was “annoyed” but thought it was “unusual”.

He attempted to call Mr Sheppard but there was no answer and when he spoke to employees who had been working on the same shift he said they were “evasive”.

In the statement taken in 2003 Mr McCartney said the men claimed to have last seen Mr Sheppard at around 2am that night and no one had seen him since.

He told the court they failed to find Mr Sheppard after searching the site but his bag was found.

Taking all precautions, the large bags of non-recyclable debris collected from the site were also searched.

A high risk missing person enquiry failed to find any trace of Mr Sheppard or an explanation as to how he had gone missing.

It is now up to a jury of nine to decide whether he is alive or dead.

The inquest was supposed to last for two weeks, ending this Friday but it could be extended if questioning of witnesses is not completed.