Police 'blunders' led to Nicola Payne murder going 35 years unsolved as family still search for answers
The shocking case of Nicola Payne - an 18-year-old new mother who went missing in 1991 and was never found - is being revisited in a new Channel 4 documentary diving back in to the unsolved death.
Payne went missing from Coventry on 14 December, 1991 whilst on the way from her home, where her six-month-old child and partner was staying, to see her parents.
Multiple people have been arrested in connection with the case over the years, which has seen multiple renewed appeals. However, West Midlands Police have been criticised over the years for failings which makes solving her disappearance and likely murder incredibly difficult.
No arrests have ever led to a conviction, with a 2015 trial leading to a jury finding two men not guilty.
Advert
This case of police ‘blunders’ making it difficult to find out the truth is made in The Never Ending Murder, a four-part true crime docu-series on Payne’s case that first aired in 2023 on Prime Video.
It is now being brought back to the fore by Channel 4, as the company is set to air it on 26 August.
John Plimmer, the former head of CID for the region who in the post during the initial investigation into her disappearance, told the Birmingham Mail: “I see so many flaws in the investigation from the start… The problem they had was motive. If you can’t find a body, it’s hard to find a motive, which may be sex or theft.
"You cannot, therefore, focus your line of inquiry along that motive."
He explained that the way evidence is collected is vital, especially to preserving it in cases that run on for years, and said this was not followed by the teams involved at the time.
He continued: “It is so disappointing. The errors were made at the time of the investigation.”
Two men were arrested and charged in 2015, but were ultimately found not guilty by a jury, with the judge at the time noting the ‘sloppy’ efforts by police.
Speaking after the trial verdict in 2015, Nicola’s brother Nigel said: “Our family are devastated and heavy-hearted with today's verdict.
“For nearly 24 years we have lived daily with the anguish of not knowing what happened to our beloved Nicola and, worse than that, to this day not knowing where she is.”
He added that they would ‘never give up’ looking for her.
Nicola’s mother, Marilyn, died in 2023 at the age of 77 having never discovered what happened to her daughter, who is presumed to be dead. And her brother Nigel told the BBC in 2025 that they need to move on, saying: "For our own sanity, we've got to move on and live our own lives."
Regarding the ongoing status of the investigation into her death, Detective Chief Inspector Tom Hadley from West Midlands Force CID said: “We remain as committed as ever to finding Nicola, allowing her family to lay her to rest and to achieving justice for her and for them.
“The inquiry into Nicola’s disappearance is subject to continual review and we will always respond appropriately to new investigative opportunities. Sadly, there are no new lines of enquiry currently for us to pursue.
“One of our specialist family liaison officers (FLOs) is still assigned to Nicola’s family to offer support and update them on any developments.
“We still believe there maybe people out there who hold information about what happened in 1991 and I urge anyone who has not previously contacted us with information to contact us.
“It could make all the difference and could finally bring Nicola’s family the closure they deserve."
West Midlands Police did not respond to LADbible’s request for comment regarding evidentiary failings in the Nicola Payne case.
The Never Ending Murder is available to watch on Channel 4, 26 August at 10pm.
Topics: True Crime, Channel 4, TV and Film, Documentaries, UK News
Michael Slavin