The Detective

Series 5, Episode 2 • The Disappearance of Nicola Payne

Episode 2 of 2: OVERVIEW A raw and compelling, podcast following Host and Investigative Reporter, Mark Williams-Thomas, as he re-investigates one of the biggest unsolved murder cases in the country that has baffled the police for almost 30 years. In a UK first, Mark puts his own money and reputation on the line to conduct a thorough re-investigation into the disappearance and murder of 18-year old Nicola Payne, to try to give answers to her family and find out where her remains could be. With full support from Nicola’s grieving family, total access to all of West Midlands polices case files, and the UK’s top private forensic search team, our podcast captures the twists and turns of a very real investigation. THE STORY  Saturday 14 December 1991 – Coventry. 18-year-old mum-of-one Nicola Payne set off from her boyfriend’s house to walk the short distance to the home she shared with her parents, across an area called the 'black pad'. Although it was just a 10-minute walk, she never made it to her parents’ house. She simply vanished. Nearly 30 years on, her body has never been found. It’s the biggest and most expensive unsolved case in the history of West Midlands Police - and one of the biggest in the UK, which they are desperate to solve, hence their total co-operation. Within 48 hours of her disappearance two men, Barwell and O’Reilly, were arrested on suspicion of Nicola’s abduction and murder. They gave an alibi which at that time could not be broken and, although they went on the run whilst on bail and changed their identity meaning they could not be picked out at an ID parade, the police did not have enough evidence to charge them. At the time the police found several items of significance, but forensics was in its infancy. In 2015, nearly 25 years after Nicola’s disappearance, a cold-case investigation team made a crucial discovery with the case evidence; advancements in forensics resulted in finding Nicola’s DNA on the tent bag recovered in 1991. Both men, Barwell and O’Reilly, were charged with her murder. At their Crown Court trial the defence argued that the evidence linking the suspects to Nicola had been contaminated whilst in police care. Subsequently, both men were acquitted. Nicola’s family were desperate for another breakthrough but the police leads had gone cold again. All her, now elderly parents, want is to bring Nicola home so they can bury her. In 2018 they asked Mark to re-investigate her disappearance, to seek answers and to try and find Nicola. Mark Williams-Thomas has agreed to help the family and re-investigate the disappearance and murder of Nicola Payne, to date he has done it all pro bono, Mark believes the answers lie within the community and is determined to find them. Mark’s investigation, gives listeners an all-access pass to see what it’s like to undertake a cold case murder investigation. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Series 5, Episode 1 • The Disappearance of Nicola Payne

Episode 1 of 2: OVERVIEW A raw and compelling, podcast following Host and Investigative Reporter, Mark Williams-Thomas, as he re-investigates one of the biggest unsolved murder cases in the country that has baffled the police for almost 30 years. In a UK first, Mark puts his own money and reputation on the line to conduct a thorough re-investigation into the disappearance and murder of 18-year old Nicola Payne, to try to give answers to her family and find out where her remains could be. With full support from Nicola’s grieving family, total access to all of West Midlands polices case files, and the UK’s top private forensic search team, our podcast captures the twists and turns of a very real investigation. THE STORY  Saturday 14 December 1991 – Coventry. 18-year-old mum-of-one Nicola Payne set off from her boyfriend’s house to walk the short distance to the home she shared with her parents, across an area called the 'black pad'. Although it was just a 10-minute walk, she never made it to her parents’ house. She simply vanished. Nearly 30 years on, her body has never been found. It’s the biggest and most expensive unsolved case in the history of West Midlands Police - and one of the biggest in the UK, which they are desperate to solve, hence their total co-operation. Within 48 hours of her disappearance two men, Barwell and O’Reilly, were arrested on suspicion of Nicola’s abduction and murder. They gave an alibi which at that time could not be broken and, although they went on the run whilst on bail and changed their identity meaning they could not be picked out at an ID parade, the police did not have enough evidence to charge them. At the time the police found several items of significance, but forensics was in its infancy. In 2015, nearly 25 years after Nicola’s disappearance, a cold-case investigation team made a crucial discovery with the case evidence; advancements in forensics resulted in finding Nicola’s DNA on the tent bag recovered in 1991. Both men, Barwell and O’Reilly, were charged with her murder. At their Crown Court trial the defence argued that the evidence linking the suspects to Nicola had been contaminated whilst in police care. Subsequently, both men were acquitted. Nicola’s family were desperate for another breakthrough but the police leads had gone cold again. All her, now elderly parents, want is to bring Nicola home so they can bury her. In 2018 they asked Mark to re-investigate her disappearance, to seek answers and to try and find Nicola. Mark Williams-Thomas has agreed to help the family and re-investigate the disappearance and murder of Nicola Payne, to date he has done it all pro bono, Mark believes the answers lie within the community and is determined to find them. Mark’s investigation, gives listeners an all-access pass to see what it’s like to undertake a cold case murder investigation. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Series 4, Episode 4 • The Murder of Lee Boxell

This is the fourth and final episode of The Murder of Lee Boxell. By now, Mark has clearly established the main suspect amidst the chain of lies and false information. A key witness confirms having seen Lee at St Dunstans church and Mark decides it is time to pay a visit to the main suspect's home to confront him. Lee Boxell was 15 when he disappeared. On the morning of Saturday 10 September 1988, Lee left his home in Cheam, to meet with a friend at 11am in nearby Sutton. Despite extensive appeals on television and in the press, no one has come forward with any confirmed sightings of Lee. Following extensive inquires the police found out that several paedophiles were operating in the area at the time Lee disappeared, one of whom ran the unofficial youth club and was jailed for eleven years in 2011, aged 75, after sexually abusing several girls who attended the club. Our investigation in to Lee's disappearance has taken almost three years and our findings are revealed in this podcast. We uncover new witnesses, new evidence and, for the first time, interview two of the suspects, who have never spoken publicly before. CONTENT WARNING: This episode discusses the murder of a teenage boy and the sexual abuse of children ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Series 4, Episode 3 • The Murder of Lee Boxell

In this third episode, two of the four people arrested on suspicion of Lee's murder agree to give Mark interviews, both speaking publicly about their involvement in the case for very the first time. Three of the children of the main suspect also agreed to give Mark interviews about their father, including taking Mark to the spot where one of them believes that their father disposed of Lee's body. And a brand new name is introduced in to the investigation; that of a corrupt police officer who is also a convicted paedophile. Lee Boxell was 15 when he disappeared. On the morning of Saturday 10 September 1988, Lee left his home in Cheam, to meet with a friend at 11am in nearby Sutton. Despite extensive appeals on television and in the press, no one has come forward with any confirmed sightings of Lee. Following extensive inquires the police found out that several paedophiles were operating in the area at the time Lee disappeared, one of whom ran the unofficial youth club and was jailed for eleven years in 2011, aged 75, after sexually abusing several girls who attended the club. Our investigation in to Lee's disappearance has taken almost three years and our findings are revealed in this podcast. We uncover new witnesses, new evidence and, for the first time, interview two of the suspects, who have never spoken publicly before. CONTENT WARNING: This episode discusses the murder of a teenage boy and the sexual abuse of children ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Series 4, Episode 2 • The Murder of Lee Boxell

In this second episode, Mark introduces new evidence and interviews several witnesses who used to attend The Shed at St Dunstans Church. Two victims of child sexual abuse came forwards and gave Mark detailed interviews about what happened to them, which some listeners may find upsetting. Lee Boxell was 15 when he disappeared. On the morning of Saturday 10 September 1988, Lee left his home in Cheam, to meet with a friend at 11am in nearby Sutton. Despite extensive appeals on television and in the press, no one has come forward with any confirmed sightings of Lee. Following extensive inquires the police found out that several paedophiles were operating in the area at the time Lee disappeared, one of whom ran the unofficial youth club and was jailed for eleven years in 2011, aged 75, after sexually abusing several girls who attended the club. Our investigation in to Lee's disappearance has taken almost three years and our findings are revealed in this podcast. We uncover new witnesses, new evidence and, for the first time, interview two of the suspects, who have never spoken publicly before. CONTENT WARNING: This episode discusses the murder of a teenage boy and the sexual abuse of children ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.