WE wish the detectives investigating the disappearance of 23-year-old Sallyan John every success and all the information they need.

If officers’ suspicions that Sallyann, who vanished nearly 20 years ago, was murdered prove to be correct, then they should be given all the time and resources necessary to make a watertight case against whoever is responsible.

As certain other cases have demonstrated, it is not unknown for the legal system to allow people to avoid responsibility for even the most terrible crimes because some detail of procedure was not followed to the letter.

This can happen no matter how compelling the evidence against the accused, no matter how desperate the circumstances which led to the procedural irregularity, and no matter how much closure and comfort the irregularity ultimately brought to the bereaved.

Let there be no loopholes through which whoever may have harmed Sallyann might slip.

The disappearance of people such as Sallyann, meanwhile, is an ongoing scandal which demands attention.

When somebody with a stable life disappears, whether because of foul play or some other reason, the alarm is usually raised almost immediately.

When the absent person has a less stable life they can fall through the cracks in society.

This is true even if, as was the case with Sallyann, high-profile appeals for leads are made.

We urge anybody who believes they have information, no matter how inconsequential they deem it, to speak to the investigators, and as quickly as possible.