On the 30th anniversary of Damien Nettles' disappearance, his family and police are re-appealing for information. Damien was 16 when he vanished in Cowes, Isle of Wight, on November 2, 1996, after being spotted walking alone along the high street.
Family's Emotional Appeal on This Morning
Appearing on This Morning today (November 2), Damien's mother Valerie and aunt Sally-Ann Austin spoke about the lack of answers. Valerie described her son as "a very sweet, very lovable, very loving little boy" who was "delightful, cute as a button."
She added: "He became a very lovely young man, caring and very friendly. He liked to horse around and make people laugh, he always stuck up for the underdog, and he was a kind person... not perfect in anyway because he was a 16 year old, he was still growing up becoming a young man."
Aunt Sally-Ann added that he was "funny and cheeky" and said: "He was a beautiful boy."
Last Known Movements
The last time the family saw Damien was when he left the house to see friends. Valerie recalled: "He was waving at the door and he said 'bye bye mum, see you later' and I said be home by 10.30."
Forensic psychologist Kerry Daynes reviewed Damien's last movements, noting he was captured on CCTV at a chip shop around 11.30pm. She explained: "That is the only surviving bit of footage that we have of him, and that's where the trail goes cold."
Valerie said she first realised something was wrong the next morning when "Damien's bed hadn't been slept in." She initially thought he might have stayed at a friend's house, but concerns grew as the family "drove all over the place" before contacting the police.
Arrests and Ongoing Search
Valerie said it was "never an option" that he had run away, as he showed no signs of unhappiness. She recalled: "My thought was he was lying out there in that awful weather we had back then with a broken leg... and I was frightened for him."
The family launched their own search, but it wasn't until 15 years later that arrests were made; a lack of evidence brought no further answers.
Appealing to viewers, aunt Sally-Ann said: "If you think you know anything at all we'd be so grateful, if you could let us have any information. Allegiances change people pass away you may feel you can now come forward, you may have children of your own and are able to put yourself in that position that we are in now."
Valerie added: "It would mean everything, I understand now the peace it brings you when you have somewhere someone is laid to rest, and we don't have that... we want Damien, we want to lay him to rest, that's all we need."
