Police offer £10,000 reward as part of renewed appeal for missing father and son

Sussex Police are renewing their appeal for information relating to a father and son who disappeared in Spain five years ago. 

Daniel (Danny) and Liam Poole have not been seen since travelling to Malaga in 2019, and in 2022 the decision was made to treat their disappearance as a murder investigation.

Sussex Police are now offering a £10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and charge of any person responsible for Danny and Liam’s disappearance.

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.”

Danny and Liam, from Burgess Hill, hired a car – a grey Peugeot 308 with registration 0254 KTM – when they arrived in Spain on 31 March 2019. However, the vehicle was never returned to the car hire firm and was later found abandoned by Spanish police. 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.

Legal steps have now been taken to allow the Surrey and Sussex Police Major Crime Team to lead the investigation, taking over primacy from the Spanish police.

Danny and Liam’s families have been updated, and echoed the force’s calls for anyone with information to come forward.

Lauryn, Danny’s daughter and Liam’s sister, 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 52^nd birthday and in three weeks’ time, it would be Liam’s 28^th 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.

“We go to bed at the end of each day not knowing if tomorrow will be the day we get the answers we need. If you know anything, please come forward and help us end this nightmare.”

Kathy, Liam’s grandmother, said: “Liam went missing in April 2019 – no goodbyes, no answers – and our family has never been the same since.

“We as a family really need to know what happened to Liam and his dad. We are reminded constantly of Liam’s absence – every family gathering reminds us that not only is he missing, but we still have no answers.

“Liam’s mum Lisa sadly passed away without finding out what happened to him. We desperately need more information. We really are appealing to whoever knows what happened to come forward and give the police the information we need.

“We will forever hold a place for Liam in our hearts. Please help our family get the closure we need.”

Danny and Liam’s families have asked for their privacy to be respected, and to not be contacted at this time.

Information can passed to police directly via the online Major Incident Public Portal (MIPP) or by following the QR code below. You can also call 101 quoting Operation Pheasant, or report anonymously via the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.