Nicola Payne disappearance: Appeal for two men

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Police investigating the disappearance of a Coventry mother 21 years ago say they want to identify two men seen close to where she went missing.



Nicola Payne, 18, was last seen in the Henley Green area of the city on 14 December 1991.

In June, police dug up land near Purcell Road in the city but did not find any remains.

Following a case review, detectives said they wanted to make a fresh appeal for information and identify the men.

The last reported sighting of Ms Payne was of her leaving Winston Avenue as she made her way back from her boyfriend's family home. She had a six-month-old baby at the time.

West Midlands Police said the men were seen close to Cardinal Wiseman School next to a metallic blue Ford Capri.

They are both described as white, one being 6ft, well built and wearing a brown leather jacket at the time.

The second was believed to be 6ft 3in, thin, with short brown hair with a left side parting and wearing a brown bomber style leather jacket, hooded sweatshirt and light blue jeans.



The vehicle had a black spoiler, chrome wheels and may have had a V-registration.

Det Insp Martin Slevin said although the information was not new and known to the inquiry very early on, he was not satisfied the men had been eliminated from the inquiry after reviewing the case.

"That's why I want to appeal for people with any information about the sighting of this vehicle and the two men to come and talk to us now and see whether we can eliminate them," he said.

"In terms of an investigative review we always go back to day one and start to apply modern day techniques to what's going on and what we know from day one.

"DNA sampling wasn't available at the time that Nicola disappeared.

"We do hold Nicola's DNA sample now and that will be compared if appropriate against any samples that we can find in the future."

No-one has ever been charged in connection with the case.

A reward of £10,000 is available for information leading to her whereabouts.

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25 new leads after appeal

A new appeal over the disappearance of a Coventry mother 21 years ago has produced 25 new leads, police have said.

Nicola Payne, 18, was last seen in the Henley Green area of the city on 14 December 1991.

In June, West Midlands Police dug up land near Purcell Road in the city but did not find any remains.

Det Insp Martin Slevin said the case remains open and that police will investigate any new information.

The appeal for fresh information in December led to an "unprecedented response" on social media sites, police said.

Mr Slevin said: "Following the appeal to trace a vehicle and two men who were seen near to where Nicola went missing at the time of her disappearance we are also following up a number of calls and emails from people."

The last reported sighting of Miss Payne was of her leaving Winston Avenue as she made her way back from her boyfriend's family home. She had a six-month-old baby at the time.

No-one has ever been charged in connection with the case.

A reward of £10,000 is available for information leading to her whereabouts.

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Two arrested on suspicion of murder

Police investigating the disappearance of a mother-of-one from Coventry 22 years ago have arrested two men on suspicion of her abduction and murder.

Nicola Payne, who was 18, was last seen in the Henley Green area of the city on 14 December 1991.

Last week West Midlands Police said new forensic tests might help provide a breakthrough in the case.

Two men, both aged 49, were arrested at their homes in the Bell Green and Stoke areas of Coventry.

A 51-year-old woman was also arrested in Bell Green on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.

Police said Nicola's family were aware of Tuesday's developments.

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The daily Mail have named 2 of the 3 arrested

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Murder suspects released on bail

Two men arrested on suspicion of the abduction and murder of Nicola Payne 22 years ago have been bailed.

Ms Payne was last seen in the Henley Green area of Coventry on 14 December 1991, when she was 18.

The men, both aged 49, were arrested on Tuesday at addresses in Coventry.

West Midlands Police were given extra time to question the suspects, who have now been given conditional bail and released while the murder investigation continues.

A 51-year-old woman arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice was also given conditional bail and released on Wednesday.

Last week, police carried out new forensic tests on items recovered during the investigation.

No one has ever been charged in connection with the case and no body has been found.

Ms Payne's family are aware of the developments.

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Two charged with 1991 murder and abduction

Two men have been charged with abducting and murdering 18-year-old Nicola Payne who went missing 23 years ago, police said.

Nigel Barwell, 51, from Copperas Street, Coventry, and Thomas O'Reilly, 50, from Ribble Road, Coventry, have been remanded in custody.

Both men were originally arrested in December 2013 over Ms Payne's disappearance on December 14, 1991.

They are due before Birmingham Magistrates' Court on Wednesday.

A 52-year-old woman who was arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice has been released without charge.

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Nicola Payne murder trial: Coventry defendants found not guilty



Two brothers-in-law have been cleared of murdering missing Coventry mum Nicola Payne.

Nigel Barwell and Thomas O'Reilly, both aged 51, were accused of abducting and killing the 18-year-old after she left her boyfriend's house in Winston Avenue, Henley Green, on December 14, 1991.

Today, at the start of the sixth week of their trial at Birmingham Crown Court, after around eight hours of deliberation, jurors returned unanimous not guilty verdicts.

Mr Barwell punched the air and thanked the jury and Mr O'Reilly stood silently in the dock as the verdicts were read out.

The pair were first arrested two days after Nicola went missing but have always denied having any involvement.

They said they were in Rugby for the entire day after Mr Barwell's blue Ford Capri broke down, leaving them stuck in a car park.

In every interview since then they have always stuck to their account, maintaining that they couldn't have had anything to do with Nicola's disappearance.

During the case both men repeatedly said they were innocent.

Asked if he was involved in Nicola's disappearance Mr Barwell said: "Absolutely not. I never knew Nicola Payne existed.

"Me and Thomas are completely innocent of these charges. We would never harm a young lady.

"It never happened, full stop."

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I have followed this case in the local paper quite closely.

Frankly, from the off I thought the case weak and I even questioned the wisdom of bringing it to court. I'm really not surprised the jury reached the verdict they did. Certainly had I been on the jury I'd have had the same view. It was not even nearly proven beyond reasonable doubt to my mind.

Sadly though, this brings no closure for the family.

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Man told nurse he was going to shoot police and then himself



A Coventry man told a nurse he was going to get a gun and “shoot police” and then turn the weapon on himself.

Nigel Barwell’s shocking statement came after a stressful few years which included standing trial accused of killing missing mum Nicola Payne.

He spent a total of two years on remand before and during the high-profile trial and his barrister said this added to already existing mental health problems and resulted in the outburst.

Barwell, 52, of Copperas Street, Bell Green, admitted making a threat to kill and was given a 12-month community order at Warwick Crown Court today.

Judge Sylvia de Bertodano told Barwell: “You had well and truly turned your back on offending and I understand how this came about and the difficulties you have come through over the past few years.

“This was a one-off comment.

“You were not threatening a specific officer and did not have a weapon or any way of getting hold of one.

“There was no real desire to carry out the threat.”

Barwell made the gun threat during an appointment at Cofa Court, in Coventry, to assess his capability for employment and benefits in May last year.

Henry Skudra, for the prosecution, said dad-of-five Barwell was telling the nurse about his troubles with mental health problems and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Mr Skudra said: “Barwell said to her he was a risk to himself and others and should be sectioned.

“He said ‘I’m going to get a gun and shoot police and then myself and it will happen’.

“That led the nurse to believe he was telling the truth and also due to the calm and collected manner in which it was said.”

After the appointment, the nurse rang police and Barwell was subsequently arrested.

When being interviewed by police about the incident, Barwell replied “no comment”, Mr Skudra said.

Barwell’s representative, Fergus Malone, said Barwell has had a number of “life events” over the past few years.

These included being charged with the murder of missing Coventry mum Nicola Payne who left her boyfriend’s house in December 1991 and was never seen again.

Barwell was accused alongside his brother-in-law Thomas O’Reilly and both were found not guilty following a six-week trial in 2015.

Mr Malone said: “He was on remand for 14 months (before the trial) and then on remand in prison for 10 months.

“It was a high-profile case with a lot of press attention. He struggled with the prison environment.

“He had been out of trouble since 2003. He is not proud of his record of old but the real offending on that goes back a long time.”

Mr Malone said that when Barwell made the threats he was “under a lot of stress as he was being probed about some of his experiences which he found stressful”.

“Although a criminal comment, it had no substance to it. It could be seen as a cry for help,” said Mr Malone.

He added that when police searched Barwell’s home following the threats, no gun or other weapon was found.

The court heard that a psychologist stated that it is “not uncommon for people coming out of a long time on remand to struggle to re-adapt to civilian life”.

The psychologist, who prepared a report on Barwell, said they believe he is suffering from a mental disorder and moderate depression, as well as showing some signs of PTSD.

Barwell was handed the 12-month community order which includes a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement to work alongside the probation service.

After stating the sentence, Judge de Bertodano also told Barwell: “Please, please be careful what you say. Whatever you are feeling, other people can get scared by what you say.

“This has put you back here where you don’t want to be.

“At the age of 52 I hope this is the last time I see you in this court.”

But did he succeed in working his ticket for Employment and Support Allowance?

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Mother of Nicola Payne dies without finding out what happened to her daughter



The heartbroken mother of missing Nicola Payne, who disappeared more than 30 years ago, has died without knowing what happened to her daughter. Nicola was 18 when she vanished in thick fog while walking across wasteland in Coventry, at around midday on December 14, 1991.

Despite numerous searches of properties, rivers and woodland over the years, no trace of her body has ever been found. Her parents Marilyn and John never gave up and held regular appeals, urging the public to help them find their daughter.

Today (March 7) it was confirmed her beloved mum Marilyn, 77, has died without knowing what happened to Nicola. Writing on the Find Nicola Payne Facebook page, her family said: "Nicola’s family are devastated to announce the death of her mum, Marilyn Payne.

"A tenacious woman who never gave up on finding her daughter and laying her to rest. The bravery she showed was extraordinary, and now her determination will continue through her family and many friends in order to finally bring Nicola home."

Marilyn and husband John, also 77, last made a public appeal for information in 2021 on the 30th anniversary of Nicola’s disappearance. Nicola had left her seven-month-old son Owen with her boyfriend Jason Cooke at his home to visit her mum and dad who lived a five-minute walk away.

She made her way across wasteland known as Black Pad but never made it to her parents' home in nearby Woodway Close in Wood End. Despite excavations and searches of gardens, land, a canal and a lake in the Coventry area between 1996 and 2014, no trace of her has been found.

The search for what happened to Nicola has been given fresh impetus with a £100,000 reward from an anonymous donor. An investigation team fronted by former detective and TV presenter Mark Williams-Thomas and forensic search expert Peter Faulding gave her family hope that Nicola may finally be found but despite several searches, the case went cold.

Several arrests have been made over the years but a bungled police investigation and a 2015 court case resulted in two suspects being acquitted. The family’s campaign for answers will now be led by Nicola’s brothers Scott, 55, and Nigel, 57, and her cousin Amanda Eales, 42.