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The Disturbing Case of Damien Nettles

Crimes That Haunt Us

7,579 views

In November 1996, 16-year-old Damien Nettles vanished from Cowes, Isle of Wight, after a night out with friends.

Last seen on CCTV at Yorkies Chippy acting incoherent—struggling to order chips, words failing, looking drugged.
His behavior deteriorated fast: trying car doors, mumbling "They are watching us." He was never seen again.

Rumors swirled of a brutal end at the hands of local drug dealers over cannabis debt—but nobody talks.
Police blunders: misclassified as adult, lost vital tapes, refused searches, destroyed logs.
Eight arrests in 2011—no charges.

BBC doc unearthed chilling claims. 30 years later (2026), his mother Valerie (73) fears dying without answers.

What really happened that stormy night? Dive into this haunting unsolved UK case.

#DamienNettles #UnsolvedMystery #IsleOfWight #TrueCrime #MissingPerson

0:00 - Intro
1:00 - About Damien
4:00 - Day of Vanishing
4:33 - Vanishing Sequence
6:22 - Damien & Chris Part Ways
6:36 - Damien Re-enters High Street area
7:10 - Damien Enters Chip Shop
7:34 - Damien Becomes Incoherent
9:17 - Damien's Behavior Spirals
10:22 - Damien is Last Seen
10:40 - Damien Doesn't Come Home
11:16 - Damien is Reported Missing
12:02 - The Family Search Begins
12:45 - Police Finally Join Search
13:16 - Mum Identifies Damien in CCTV
13:54 - Rumours of Foul Play Emerge
15:16 - Police Search Woods
15:36 - Nicky McNamara Encounter
16:18 - The Family Moves to USA
16:48 - Nicky McNamara Dies
17:14 - HOLMES
17:30 - Age Enhanced Image Released
17:48 - Bombshell Claim Emerges
19:06 - Ivor Edwards Joins Case
20:34 - McNamara Group Was Also on High Street
21:29 - McNamara Allegedly Burned Evidence
22:26 - 5 Men are Arrested
22:59 - A 6th Man is Arrested
23:15 - Two Further Arrests Made
24:07 - The BBC Documentary is Released
24:25 - Nicky McNamara Named as Killer
25:08 - Shirley Barrett
25:29 - Damien Kept Dead for 3 Weeks
25:39 - 18 Fellows Road
26:16 - Bunny Iles Interviewed
26:35 - Danny Spencer Interviewed
27:00 - Outro

20 Comments

@crimesthathauntus Creator 6 months ago Pinned

Thank you so much for watching this episode on the disappearance of Damien Nettles.
Please feel free to share your own thoughts and theories down below — I read every single comment 🙏
What do you think happened that night?
Do you believe he’ll ever be found, or will this remain one of those mysteries that never gets closure?

Please hit subscribe if you’d like to catch more True Crime documentaries — we release a new episode each Sunday.

Thanks a million 🙏

@Emblanefilms 6 months ago

Mate I have watched nearly all the videos on Damien Nettles and this by far the best. So much effort especially the maps they make it so much easier to follow and understand. Poor kid.

@katerinagiannioudi401 6 months ago

Bad company and bad choices lead to danger!

@denisealdridge4847 6 months ago

This absolutely shouts police cover up. How can so many things go missing?.
Id say there was a dodgy copper probably involved in the drug scene or an informant important to the police involved.
I hope wherever Damian is resting he's at peace.

@ashdrive 6 months ago

Great video, excellent work...👍

@Jane_Mike 6 months ago

Such a sad ,sad case. RIP,kid...so young,so young.

@suesmith3744 6 months ago

RIP Damien 🕊️. Don’t do drugs kids … please 🙏🏻

@David-uf8ex 6 months ago

One wonders why they bothered having a police force on this island as they seemed absolutely useless with violent drug gangs running riot the police were obviously up to their necks in corruption

@malcolmcook6268 6 months ago

Young people must realise that drug involvement even on a low level scale is placing them on a very slippery slope indeed.

@millieizzard4784 6 months ago

You can tell he was a real sweetie. Love to his family x

@karenmusilova3988 6 months ago

I reckon a dodgy copper was helping a drug dealer cover it up... It just seems too convenient, what with all that evidence going missing and the police making so many mistakes!

@AnnaSenPrice 6 months ago

Another excellent documentary. What a shattering case.

@bernicecollins9641 6 months ago

Beautiful family. Sincere Sympathy

@morriganwitch 6 months ago

I don’t think this will ever be solved unless forensics remain . It seems like the other possibility of accidental falling into the sea , suicide are long shots and the police investigation was inadequate . I think that because of the drug inducted state of Damian and potential assailants there is no sense going to emerge . So sad .

@bernicecollins9641 6 months ago

Lost Young man without care and supervision- wandering aimlessly without focus

@get2knowuk 6 months ago

75p for chips!

@mariannetuite7411 6 months ago

Being less than a month older than Damien his case has been one of those that I’ve followed closely
He was badly failed by local law enforcement. Really hope his family get answers eventually

@sashamusgravetravers30 6 months ago

May Damien Nettles rest in peace and may he get the justice he deserves

@ChicaG-vg7pj 6 months ago

The LE response is horrendous, and has probably permanently crippled the case, unless there is a confession or someone tells what they know.

@burnleyfan11965 6 months ago

I would say Nicky McNamara was probably the leading suspect, though as he is dead we can never know for certain.I have no doubt that quite a few people on the Isle of Wight know who did it and who was possibly involved afterwards, but its a strange place and the real truth may never come out. I also wonder who injected McNamara with an overdose of heroin in the back