| We are hopeful that one day we will get the answers that we are seeking. Damien's family is appealing to the people of the Isle of Wight to help us! We are still convinced that the answer lies on the Isle of Wight. We believe that something bad happened to Damien that night. Did you see Damien on the night of November 2, 1996? Who was on the High Street in Cowes that night? Why did the police lose the street CCTV film footage of Damien on the street that night? Was there something/someone to hide? Who is still out there that is a threat to local people? Were you young and afraid to say anything? Do you now have children of your own? Do the right thing...give your children something to be proud of...tell what you know and stop this now. Just say it and get it off your conscience and out of your head...Can you put yourself in our place? How would you feel if it were your child? Call the Police 0845 045 4545 or IW Police 101 o Missing People 116000 or email us valnettles@damiennettles.com. Please help us to find the answers. |
| WHAT WE DO KNOW: This video below is the last (surviving) video of our son. After he left this chip shop, he was picked up on the street CCTV camera (which the police lost). He walked to the bus stop and then walked back along the High Street He he was last seen at 12:02 a.m on November 3 - then nothing further. 14 years later, the police say they have now identified all of these men who were army and not suspects according to the police. |
| It is never too late to report something you heard or saw....help us find Damien? We love our son and we miss him incredibly...we just want to know what happened to him...CAN YOU HELP? |
| Damien enters the chip shop at the 34:37 on the clock, which was not set correctly as the hour was actually 11:37pm. Damien is in the center, most of the time, and turns his back to the camera while digging in his pockets for change |
| Song for DamienSomeone Knows by Alex Roberts |
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
FACT - Damien had been out with friends and parted company from them at approx 10.30pm. He was seen on Cowes High St by various people throughout the evening and he was in good spirits. FACT - Damien was caught on security camera at Yorkie's Chip Shop on Cowes High Street at approx 11:45pm. He was surrounded by a group of 5/6 men who have been identified as army men who were visiting the IW that weekend. The police do not feel they were involved. FACT - Damien was seen on the High Street after the chip shop alone, eating chips. FACT - Damien was seen at the bus stop and talked to people there. FACT - Damien was caught on the High Street CCTV and disapears from sight at 12:02 a.m. on November 3rd. FACT - Police lost this evidence therefore limiting the potential to see who else was on that video. FACT - Police did not want to know when we reported him missing in the afternoon of November 3rd after exhausting all possible places he could have gone. FACT - Damien's mother asked police to get the spotter plane up in case he was laying out there in the rain, injured. It was refused. FACT - Damien's mother asked the police to get the sniffer dogs out to look for Damien. It was also refused. FACT - Damien's mothers friend was told by police that we were a bunch of hysterical women. FACT - Police had Damien's date of birth WRONG and said at '19' he was old enough to go missing......but he had just turned 16... FACT - Damien's family asked for searches to be done - but that again was refused and so the family made posters and blanketed the Island. FACT - Family and friends found out who had seen Damien and relayed this information to the police. The police seemed to think Damien had gone off on a "funny five minutes" and did nothing. FACT - Damien's father, little brother and elderly grandfather went out in the rain, in the dark to try to find some trace of Damien because police refused. FACT - Damien's family and friends organized a search party and scoured the town the following weekend. FACT - When Damien's mother phoned to ask if the police had heard any news, they said 'No, not unless you have something to tell us Mrs. Nettles". FACT - after several calls the police told Damien's mother "you are not doing yourself or your son any favours keep calling us up and you are hampering the possibility of finding your son if you keep calling" FACT - Damien's family asked for Damien's case to be on Crimewatch - it was refused as it did not fit the criteria of a "crime". FACT - Detectives came onto the case after about 2 weeks and spent another couple of weeks looking at the family instead of looking for Damien. FACT - Someone reported, in the first week after Damien went missing, having seen a person that could possibly have been Damien walking along the road. Police told the family the source was unreliable and it was never followed up on - until 14 months later.... FACT - Damien was seen in a chip shop surrounded by men. It was after a local documentary which aired in early 1997 that two men were identified through an anonymous tip (see video below). They were Army. FACT - Damien's family were given a string of promises over the years that the police were looking to find these men....but it took them 14 long years to establish they were actually with the other two men, identified in 1997. They were all Army.... so why should it have taken 14 years? FACT - in 2004 Police informed the family that a local 'known drug dealer' was seen in the chip shop video. FACT - Damien's family were assured investigation were being done to investigate the drug dealer (deceased) and his associates FACT - During this time Damien's family went for months and months without an update and when challenged the police were nothing short of rude. FACT - Damien was last seen at 12:02 a.m. on the High Street on a CCTV camera, but never appeared on any of the other CCTV camera's after 12:02 a.m. on November 3, 1996. FACT - Damien's family has fought tooth and nail to keep police on their toes with this case. FACT - Information about the drug dealer surfaced over and over again as having 'taught Damien a lesson" which went too far and Damien was killed. FACT - in 2004 Police informed the family that a local 'known drug dealer' was seen in the chip shop video. FACT - Damien's family were assured investigation were being done to investigate the drug dealer (deceased) and his associates. FACT - After 14 years, police pick up a phone and call the Army and come to find all the men in the chip shop were together on the same training. FACT - The two army men who were identified in 1997 told police they did not know the other men - but they were talking and sharing chips and conversation. Why would they deny knowing the other men on the same training exercise? FACT - information came forward in 2010 confirming yet again the involvement of the local drug dealer and associates in killing Damien. FACT - New eyes on the case and it became a murder enquiry. FACT - Family told in 2011 about possible involvement of same dealer and others in Damien's murder - police dismiss this as they said the source was unreliable, but Damien's family are not convinced that there is not some truth and will never know as police refuse to search in Parkhurst Forest and the Forestry Commission refuse to grant a private search. FACT - Damien's family given new information about the same drug dealer but identifying a different property in the village of Gurnard, and not the property the police searched and it was said the police searched the wrong place. However, although the family would like these sites ruled out, the police refuse - again - they dont trust the source. FACT - Damien's family will never rest until all these 'stories' are followed up on and eliminated once and for all. FACT - Family asked for a reward for many years to be established - police refused. FACT - Family started to raise own reward with donations from the public. FACT - Police decide to offer a UK 20K reward FACT - The reward only lasted six months and expired. FACT - Damien's mother pleaded for the reward to be extended another year or so to give people time to consider their actions and options - police refused. |
| 0845-045 4545 |
| LAST KNOWN SIGHTING WAS ON COWES HIGH STREET around midnight on November 2, 1996 as he was caught on CCTV which was lost while in possession of the Police... |
| It is rumored that Damien purchased a small amount of cannabis from a nasty local drug dealer, who was well known in the Cowes area and he had youngsters in fear of him until he died from an overdose in 2002. The rumour also indicates that this local bully, thug and scum bag decided to beat Damien up and it went too far and Damien was killed. The police told our family that this druggie was in the chip shop video, but later said the family of this man, who are still living in Cowes, denied it was him........... Police now say that all the men in Chip shop were ARMY.... |
Valerie's BBC
Radio 4
interview on
April 27, 2013
at the 7:40am
mark. Please
listen while
this is still
available.
Radio 4
interview on
April 27, 2013
at the 7:40am
mark. Please
listen while
this is still
available.
