Damien Nettles went missing after a night out with friends on the Isle of Wight in November, 1996 when he was just 16.
He had parted company from them at around 10.30pm. He was last seen at around midnight walking along the High Street in West Cowes shortly after buying chips. Damien was caught on CCTV footage talking to five or six men, only three have ever been identified.
Two were army officers who were in Cowes for training in sailing. The other was a local drug dealer, who has since passed away, who was not identified until after his death.
Damien’s website says:
“This is odd, as the Isle of Wight is a very small place and I am surprised that despite pictures and publicity of this video, it took over six years for someone to identify this individual. The first two men were identified after a documentary, which aired in January 1997, 2 months after Damien went missing. They were not local. The National Missing Persons Charity was given an anonymous tip that
these two were from the Army, based in Aldershot. They were interrogated and claim they did not know anything, however, both of them held conversation with Damien, as seen on the video. “
Last week, 21 June, was Damien’s 27th birthday. The age progression picture shows him as he would look today.
Damien, who is 6ft 3ins, comes from a close family who miss him terribly. Sadly, his family has had to move to the USA for work since his disappearance but they are still hoping to hear news of Damien. His grandparents still live on the Isle of Wight.
Despite repeated appeals run by the charity Missing People over the years, including a widely circulated age progressed picture produced by the charity, there has been no news of Damien. His mother Val said:
“I miss his wonderful, silly sense of humour and how the room came alive when he entered it…. he was larger than life and teeming with mischief and fun.�
If anyone has any information about Damien please call the confidential 24 hour charity Missing People on Freefone 0500 700 700. Donations to the charity can be made via the website www.missingpeople.org.uk .Damien’s family set up this website www.damiennettles.com
In memory of those who are still missing.
Thanks for putting this information about my son, Damien Nettles. It is nearly 11 years, this coming Nov 2, 2007 since my son left the house happily saying “bye Mum” and I have not seen or heard from him since. We may be in the USA, but we are still closely working with the police. Sadly, Damien’s grandparents have both passed away, without ever knowing what happened to him.
Dear Valerie, thank you for your comment, I’m so very sorry for you all. My son is 17, he’s a happy chap too. Danien looks a fine young man, a son to be proud of.
Dear Ms Seymour
I am a professional missing person’s investigator (amongst other things!) and have recently taken on the Damien Nettles case on a ‘pro bono’ basis. As there is no large fund available for expenses etc, I will be asking all those who have an interest in the case to help me with any information as obviously the cost of physically investigating a case that has so many inconsistencies as this would cost a small fortune, something his family certainly do not have.
With this in mind, may I ask do you have any information other than that posted here, maybe hearsay or rumour that you may not have wanted to put in print? Any information, however apparently ludicrous, may have significance in the right context. Please would you be kind enough to reply to my email address as opposed to posting online. I am registered as a Data Controller so all information will be treated with strict confidentiality.
Many thanks – Alan
[...] I described in this post how Nicki Durbin, mother of Luke who vanished in May 2006 aged 19, and Valerie Nettles, whose son Damien disappeared mysteriously in November 1996 when he was 16, had joined forces with other families of missing people to hold a march in London to highlight their plight, as well as pleading with the government to provide much needed resources. [...]
[...] I also met the devoted family of Raymond Scott, who still hope he will return to them one day, and Vinny Derrick’s loving family, as well as the two magnificent women who made the march happen – Nicki Durbin, mother of Luke who vanished in May 2006 aged 19, and Valerie Nettles, whose son Damien disappeared mysteriously in November 1996 when he was 16. [...]