Vulnerable Warwick man is still missing

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Police have renewed their appeal to help find a missing Warwick man not seen since last month.

Brian Reading, of Cape Road, Warwick, was last seen visiting a friend in St John’s in Warwick on Saturday July 21, which was his birthday.

The 43-year-old left to walk home at around 4pm and was last seen between 5pm and 7pm in Cemetery Lane but there have been no sightings since. Friends describe him as somebody who does not usually travel outside Warwick.

Mr Reading suffers from diabetes for which he takes medication every day. A police search of his home revealed he had not taken his medication or his mobile phone.

Police using dogs searched the towpath along the Grand Union Canal, Priory Park, St Nicholas Park and the cemetery in Birmingham Road. A search has also been carried out on open land behind the Saxon Mill on Coventry Road.

Det Insp Sue Taylor, who is co-ordinating the search for Mr Reading, said: “We are extremely concerned for the welfare of Brian Reading. We know that he rarely travels outside Warwick, and so we are concentrating our search within the town.

“The fact that he does not appear to have any medication with him is of particular concern.”

Police are extremely concerned for his welfare because he has failed to make contact with any of his friends, and has not texted his relatives, both of which are out of character.

He is 5ft 8ins tall, of medium build, with a shaved head. His normal clothing consists of blue jeans and a black jacket.

Despite extensive searches by friends and the police of areas Mr Reading is known to frequent, including the canal towpath through Warwick and St Nicholas Park and Priory Park, there has been no trace of him.

Anyone who knows Mr Reading and has information about where he is or has seen him in recent days should contact Det Insp Taylor in the local investigation team at Leamington on 684070.

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The last man to see missing Warwick man Brian Reading has appealed for the public’s help in tracking him down.



Father of two Mr Reading (pictured) celebrated his 43rd birthday with lifelong friend Matt Goode on July 21 but hasn’t been seen since.

Police have brought in specialist teams to search for Mr Reading but no trace of him has been found.

Now Mr Goode has come forward to plead for his safe return.

“Because of the length of time that he has been missing I’m beginning to fear the worst,” Mr Goode, 40, said.

“But I’m still hopeful he has gone somewhere safe and will get in touch when the time is right.

“It’s a concern that he hasn’t got his mobile phone with him because every contact he had was on that phone.”

Mr Reading was last seen in St Johns, Warwick, on July 21.

He went to get a newspaper and some tobacco from a nearby newsagents before telling Mr Goode he was heading home to sleep. He said he would text Mr Goode, but no message was ever received.

Mr Reading is a diabetic and has no medication with him, but his friend does not believe it will have had a dramatic effect on his health.

“I’m not that concerned about it,” he said. “I’ve seen him go without it for two or three months before.

“I’ve known him for 28 years. When we’ve been in relationships there were periods where we didn’t speak as much.

“People always used to say we were a bad influence on each other.”

Addressing his friend directly, Mr Goode said: “Everyone is extremely worried and concerned about you.

“All your family and friends are. Please contact somebody. There must be a number you’ve got.

“If not, call the police. And if anyone has seen him please get in touch.”

Mr Goode said his friend had been raised by his grandparents and had found the recent death of his grandmother difficult to take.

An unconfirmed sighting made on July 22 suggested that Mr Reading may have been close to the cemetery.

Specialist teams searched part of the canal nearby following the sighting but Mr Reading was not found.

Det Sgt Cindy Stephenson said enquiries were ongoing and officers were keeping an open mind about Mr Reading’s disappearance.

He is described as 5ft 8ins tall, of medium build with a shaved head and last seen wearing black lace-up shoes, grey or blue jeans and a black long sleeved top with a white inset.

Anyone who sees Mr Reading should call 999. Anyone with information should call 101.

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Body found in hunt for missing Warwick man

THE family of missing man Brian Reading is being kept updated by police after a body was found near Warwick Racecourse.

Police were called to land next to the racecourse on Tuesday after a member of the public found a body hanging in a tree.

It was discovered near where missing Warwick man Mr Reading, 43, was seen for the last time.

Police have stopped short of identifying the body as Mr Reading’s, but in a short statement they said his family was being kept informed.

Mr Reading went missing in July and since then police have carried out a series of searches for him.

In August Mr Reading’s close friend Matt Goode told the Telegraph he “feared the worst” because he had been missing for so long.

He added: “I’m still hopeful he has gone somewhere safe and will get in touch when the time is right.

“I’ve known him for 28 years. When we’ve been in relationships there were periods where we didn’t speak as much.

“People always used to say we were a bad influence on each other.”

Mr Reading was raised by his grandparents and according to Mr Goode he had found the recent death of his grandmother difficult to take.

The last unconfirmed sighting of Mr Reading came on July 22 when he was spotted close to the cemetery where she is buried.

The body was discovered close to that spot and is believed to have been there for some time.

Yesterday a specialist recovery team from West Midlands Police helped remove the body from the area.

Procedures are already underway to identify it but police say this is likely to take some time.

A post mortem examination is due to be held and the coroner has been informed.

Despite the fact that there has been no formal identification the family of Mr Reading is being kept informed.

Det Insp Liam Barry, who has managed the search for Mr Reading, has expressed his thanks and gratitude to members of the public for their continued support in helping to locate the missing man.

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Coroner: Warwick man who went missing ‘took his own life’

A WARWICK man whose body was found after he went missing for two months left a suicide note for his family and friends, an inquest has heard.

The body of Brian Reading, of Cape Road, was found by a Network Rail employee hanging from a tree at a isolated culvert near Warwick Parkway Station on September 25.

He had been reported missing by his concerned family on July 22, the day after his 43rd birthday.

Police had carried out widespread searches for Mr Reading, a type-2 diabetic, who was classed as a ‘high-risk missing person’.

Recording the verdict that Mr Reading took his own life today (Friday) coroner Sean McGovern said: “If I record a verdict that he took his own life I have to be satisfied that this was his intention.

“The cause of death by hanging is clear and from the note he left for his family it is clear that he took his own life.

“I offer my condolences to his family.”

Mr Reading’s partner had previously been concerned with his excessive drinking and drug taking and in the months leading up to his disappearance and death his mood had deteriorated, according to his close friend Matthew Goode.

Mr Reading met Mr Goode at Warwick station on Friday July 20 and spent the night and much of the next day at Mr Goode’s flat in St John’s, drinking beer and watching horse racing, before telling him at around 4pm he was going home to sleep.

Mr Goode expected a text message from his friend of 28 years, but it was the last time he saw him.