THE mum of a teenage boy who vanished without a trace nearly 30 years ago says an “abysmal” police investigation is to blame.
Valerie Nettles has never given up her search for Daniel, who disappeared aged 16 while out with pals on the Isle of Wight in 1996.
Damien was just 16-years-old when he went missing in 1996PA:Press Association
The youngster had been out with friends the night he vanished
The teen had gone to a belated Halloween party with friends on East Cowes, but the group decided to leave early.
They bought some ciders and made their way back to West Cowes before Damien parted ways with the crowd.
It’s no longer about what the police did wrong, it’s about what they can do to get it right – because the handling of my son’s case was abysmal
Valerie Nettles
He went back into town to try and see his sister before stopping off at a fish & chip shop.
Damien was last seen on CCTV in the high street eating his chips at around 12.02am.
Recalling the hours after her son’s disappearance, mum Valerie told The Sun Online: “I reported him missing and they didn’t seem too interested, they assumed he’d run away.
“They told me ‘he will be back by tea time’. I called them a few times that evening and they told me off basically.
“They said ‘if you call you’re just wasting our time and you’re not doing your son’s case any good’.”
Valerie said she was left “perplexed” by their nonchalant attitude.
“The police didn’t listen to us, they didn’t take it seriously,” she continued.
“A lot more should have been done initially. Had it been taken seriously in the beginning we may have found him.”
POLICE FAILINGS
It wasn’t until weeks after the family pushed for answers that detectives were sent to their house.
But again, they were met with a blunt and cold response.
Officers also informed the Nettles there had been a report of shouting on the seafront at around 1am – but nothing had been followed up.
Then, when Valerie asked to see CCTV footage, they discovered Hampshire Police had been tracking the wrong individual.
“We asked police if we could see the high street video and when they let us we saw they had been tracking the wrong individual.
It was my husband, my elderly father and my son Jamie, who was about 13, who were out in the dark, in the rain, batting bushes looking for Damien down the seafront because police said they couldn’t do it
Valerie
“He had been wearing completely different clothes,” claimed Valerie.
Damien was also thought of as being a 19-year-old by the police when he was just 16.
An officer told Val: “He’s 19, he’s old enough to do what he wants to.”
There were two reviews done into the handling of the case in 2007 and 2016, and on several items it was found they were “lax”, said Val.
“It’s a day late and a dollar short,” she added.
WHAT THE POLICE SAY
Supt Karen McManus from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary said: “Our shared objective with the Nettles family remains finding out what happened to Damien after he was last seen in Cowes in November 1996 by following all viable lines of enquiry.
“We understand the concerns raised by members of the Nettles family about the standards of our initial investigation.
“A complaint was received in 2016, where two elements raised were upheld following an investigation.
“A detailed apology was subsequently provided to Damien’s family.
“It’s important to stress that this is still an open case and any new credible information will be explored for any viable lines of enquiry.
“Our last contact with the Nettles family was in January 2024. Any new information is reviewed and actioned and we will continue to update Mrs Nettles with any progress in the investigation.
“Due to this being an open investigation we would not discuss specific criticisms in a public forum, but would encourage Damien’s family to contact us directly if they have new concerns that they would like us to address with them.
“Despite the length of the investigation we all hope that a line of enquiry will be identified to us at some stage that will allow us to provide answers to the Nettles family about Damien’s disappearance”.
LAST KNOWN MOVEMENTS
Damien had been out with his mate Christopher and a few girls on the ill-fated night.
Chris claimed they started to walk back home at around 10.30pm and parted ways.
But Damien turned around and went back into town to ask if anyone had seen his sister, who had mentioned she may visit from university.
He was then spotted on CCTV chatting to men in a fish shop at 11.40pm.
Afterwards Damien went to a bus stop, then walked back past the fish shop, and was later seen under a CCTV camera eating chips at 12.02am.
“Then there’s nothing after that,” said Valerie.
Hampshire Police lost the last known footage of Damien walking along the high street.
Damien Nettles’ disappearance
DAMIEN Nettles vanished on November 2, 1996 while out with his friends.
The 16-year-old lad goes to a belated Halloween party in East Cowes with friends on November 2, 1996.
They leave the gathering early, buy some cider, and head back to West Cowes.
Damien parts ways with his friend Christopher at around 10.30pm when his mate decides to go home.
The teen wonders the high street asking people if they have seen his sister Sarah.
CCTV footage from a local fish shop captures Damien there talking to people at around 11.40pm.
He walks to a bus stop, then makes his way back past the fish shop.
The last sighting on cameras showed Damien eating his chips outside at 12.02am.
His family reported him missing in the afternoon of November 3.
Police search a nearby street 14 months later and find no evidence Damien was there.
In 2002 people came forward after a local drug dealer died, and claimed he had been involved in Damien’s disappearance.
A new review was made after a complaint to Police Standards in 2005 and it was ruled Damien had likely been murdered – although his case is still a Missing Persons.
In 2007 Valerie Nettles hired a private investigator Ivor Edwards.
Hampshire Police make eight arrests in 2011 for conspiracy to murder but all suspects were released without charge.
A £20,000 reward was issued by the force in 2012 and remained in place for a year.
Valerie filed another complaint to Police Standards (PSD) in November 2016.
As of April 2024, there are no new leads in Damien’s case.
Video captured from inside the chip shop was also edited, with the force cutting the beginning and end of the tape.
“At the time they continued to assume he had gone off on his own but the last ferry had left at around 11,” continued Valerie.
“There was a possible sighting along one road, not too far from our house.”
At the time officers dismissed the tip because it came from a boy who was unreliable.
But, 14-months later, the force realised they had made a mistake and went to search the area, according to Valerie.
No one wants to talk to the police
Valerie
“They decided to send officers down our road and bring in sniffer dogs to look in people’s gardens and sheds,” she explained.
“I don’t know what they expected to find after 14months.
“But I asked for this they day he went missing. They refused.
“It was my husband, my elderly father and my son Jamie, who was about 13, who were out in the dark, in the rain, batting bushes looking for Damien down the seafront because police said they couldn’t do it.”
FORCE ‘SHENANIGANS’
At the time Damien vanished, the female officer on his case suddenly stepped away from the investigation.
“It turned out in the paper a few months later, she had been sexually harassed in the station by fellow officers,” explained Val.
Appeals over the years have aged Damien so people can imagine what he would look like now
A missing picture on a milk bottle at the time of Damien’s disappearance
Damien’s sister Sarah has set up an organisation to help siblings of those who go missing
“So that’s the kind of shenanigans going on in the station when they’re supposed to be investigating my son’s case.
“While we were sat waiting at home, waiting and waiting for him to come down the driveway, get off the bus, make a phone call, and that’s what they were doing.”
A private detective was supposed to meet with the female officer years later but she “clammed up” and cancelled the interview.
LATEST THEORY
People came forward with information over the years alleging Damien was beaten up and thrown in the sea.
It was rumoured Nicky McNamara, a local drug dealer with a history of violent crimes, was behind the teen’s alleged murder.
The theories came to light after he died of a heroin overdose in 2002.
According to local stories, the dealer had been acting suspiciously the day after Damien’s disappearance.
“There were several reports saying someone had seen a local dealer with a youth up against a wall, beating him up,” said Valerie.
“I don’t care if I don’t get all the answers, I just want him home and back in whatever way that might be
Valerie
“But this didn’t come to light for several years, after this drug dealer passed away, and people started coming forward saying they thought it was him.
“If the police had done more at the start maybe people would have thought they could spoken up before the guy died.”
Others have speculated Damien died as a result of drug gangs on the island.
‘WALL OF SILENCE’
Valerie spoke to a cold case officer a year ago and didn’t hear anything back until this month – it turned out he had retired.
Another officer took over when Val’s daughter got involved and demanded more details.
“They want nothing to do with you unless they find bones and DNA, there’s no support there, you’re talking to a brick wall. It’s a very bad system,” alleged Valerie.
“I’m not the only one facing this wall of silence. It’s like we don’t exist.
“The only hope now is that someone will pick up the story and someone will come forward willing to speak to the police.”
But, the frustrated mum described how a “very close knit community” on the island has halted information coming to light.
“With families intertwined deeply, it’s hard to say someone would come forward if it was to make another family member or close associate get into trouble,” she said.
“No one wants to talk to the police.”
Damien’s younger brother was even bullied at school after the tragedy, and the family eventually relocated to the Unites States.
‘ABYSMAL’
“It may be a cold case but to us he’s still here. In our thoughts, in our hearts. We’re still hoping one day we will get some answers that gives us a resolution,” prayed Valerie.
“I don’t care if I don’t get all the answers, I just want him home and back in whatever way that might be.”
The grieving mum has helped with missing people charities since moving to America.
“I do use my experiences to help, and it’s no longer about what the police did wrong, it’s about what they can do to get it right – because the handling of my son’s case was abysmal,” she said.
Valerie has also written a book called The Boy Who Disappeared to journal through her grief and provide help for others experiencing the same trauma.
Her daughter Sarah has also set up an organisation to help the siblings of those who go missing.
Anyone with new information about Damien or his disappearance can contact Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary by phoning 101 or email.
Information can be given anonymously by phoning the independent Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.
MISSING PEOPLE
SOMEONE is reported missing every 90 seconds in the UK.
Missing People is the only UK charity dedicated to reconnecting missing people and their loved ones.
They offer support to people affected by a disappearance via their free, confidential Helpline on 116 000 and can launch a publicity appeal to help bring missing people home.
Other services they provide include family support, counselling, and specialist services for issues related to missing such as exploitation and County Lines.
Valerie has written a book detailing the case from her point of view
The police created an image of Damien suggesting what he could look like at the age of 23PA:Press Association
The Nettles family re-located to the States after the tragedy