A MISSING man may have had links with “petty criminals” in north London, an inquest was told today.

Lee Sheppard had been making a series of phone calls looking for work from the phone in his office on the night he disappeared eight years ago.

The New Zealander, who was living with his pregnant wife at the time in Cricklewood, vanished on January 31, 2003, while working a night shift for EMR Recycling in Willesden Junction.

Today the jury at North London Coroners Court heard how the 23-year-old had made the calls, including one to a mysterious man called “Freddy” from an office phone.

His own mobile had not received a signal since 9.53pm on January 30, and earlier that morning his wife Juliet had told him she was expecting their first child, their son Jaden Lee.

One call was placed to an old school friend who had advertised for a handyman on website Gumtree, just after 11pm.

Detective Sergeant Andy Goodwin, who reopened the investigation in 2008, told the court all the other calls Lee made had been traced, except the one to “Freddy”, who Lee had done casual work for.

He said the number had belonged to a man in north London, but when questioned in 2003 he denied knowing who Freddy was.

But when reinterviewed he said he had lent the mobile to another man, who had been married to his mother, who also denied knowledge, but fitted a description given by Mr Sheppard's co-workers.

DS Goodwin said: “In summary the reality is I'm not able to confirm who this person is. The people I've interviewed have been described as very petty criminals around north London, although there is nothing linking them with the Willesden or Cricklewood areas.

“I'm not overly concerned as quite frankly I know I'm can't believe anything any of that group are saying, but I think I know who it is. I can't get them to admit or even deny who they are.”

When asked whether these men would fit the profile of criminals who could “commit murder and dispose of the body” DS Goodwin said “certainly not”.

The court also heard CCTV from areas around the site showed Lee had not left between 1.30am and 5.30am on the night of his shift, although DS Goodwin admitted it did not mean he had not left after.

There was also a description of a bag with keys, train tickets and a balaclava in it which had belonged to Lee and was found in the EMR canteen the night after he disappeared.

DS Goodwin also described a provisional search of the site by a police team on February 2, but admitted the team had been tasked to look “for a body” and “substantial evidence” rather than a detailed search.

The inquest is expected to last for the rest of this week.