Laurence Dollimore
UK police have launched a fresh appeal into the disappearance of a British father and son who vanished from the Costa del Sol more than five years ago.
Daniel and his son Liam Poole (pictured above), from Burgess Hill, hired a grey Peugeot 308 with registration 0254 KTM when they arrived in Spain on March 31, 2019.
The pair, aged 46 and 22 at the time, were last seen alive on April 2 in what was their third trip to Malaga in just four months.
Their vehicle was later found abandoned by Spanish police, while all their luggage and passports were found in their hotel room in Estepona.
In 2022, British police decided to classify the probe as a murder investigation, and they are now offering £10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and charge of any person responsible for the men’s disappearance.
In a statement today, Detective Chief Inspector Simon Dunn said: “Although Danny and Liam went missing in Spain, we believe there are people in the UK who may hold vital information about their disappearance.
“We understand there may be some who have felt unable to come forward before now, but it’s not too late to do the right thing. Whether it’s something you know, or something you may have subsequently heard, we urge you to get in touch and share it with us. We will listen and we will investigate any viable new lines of enquiry.
“You may not appreciate the importance of the information you have, but it could be the piece of the puzzle we need to build the picture of what happened to Danny and Liam. Even the smallest detail could be significant in helping us provide their families with the answers they so desperately need and deserve.”
A spokesperson for Sussex Police added: “The pair’s luggage was left in their hotel together with their passports, suggesting this was not a planned disappearance.
“Spanish police took primacy of the investigation, and the Surrey and Sussex Police Major Crime Team worked closely with them to try and find 46-year-old Danny and 22-year-old Liam.
“The circumstances surrounding their disappearance remained under close review and a decision to treat their disappearance as a murder investigation was made by Sussex Police in 2022.”
Danny’s daughter and Liam’s sister, Lauryn, said: “Not a day goes by that I don’t wonder what life would be like with my dad and brother in it.
“The pride my brother would have in being an uncle or watching my dad be a grandad are just a couple of the things that no daughter or sister should ever be deprived of.
“Every day that goes by sees a thought pop into my head about what truly happened and what their last moments might have been like – these thoughts often keep me awake at night.
“I beg and pray that someone could give me and our family the closure we need to move on from the sleepless nights and that I can give an explanation to my dad and brother’s growing family one day.
“I pray someone will be able to give this to us, no matter how many years and months later it may be.”
Danny’s mother Jacqui and brother Laurence said: “It has been more than five years since they’ve been gone, and we have no answers as to where they are or why they’ve not come home.
“This week would have been Danny’s 52nd birthday and in three weeks’ time, it would be Liam’s 28th birthday.
“Our appeal to anyone that has any information is to please come forward – please give us as a mum, grandmother, brother and uncle, the chance to wish them a happy heavenly birthday without the unbearable uncertainty of not knowing what’s happened to them.
“If you know anything, please come forward and help us end this nightmare.”
Daniel, aged 46 when he disappeared, is a trained car mechanic with previous convictions for drug dealing.
According to a previous report in The Times, he is also related to the notorious London-based Richardson crime family on his mother’s side.
Daniel and Liam, who was 22 when they disappeared, had made three trips to Malaga in the four months before they vanished.
A source previoulsy told the Olive Press: “Liam was such a good boy, he was smart and has obviously been influenced and dragged into this mess, it’s so tragic.”
The young computer technician had no criminal record.
The Costa del Sol is one of the busiest coasts for drug trafficking, with hashish arriving from Morocco every day.
The family received a ransom demand for over €100,000 the day after Daniel and Liam disappeared.
The ransom was never made public but according to The Times, police traced the call to a phone in Morocco.
Relatives reportedly managed to raise the money from family members within just three hours – it’s not clear whether the ransom was paid.
Information can passed to police directly via the online Major Incident Public Portal (MIPP) or via the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
