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The disappearance of Charlotte Pinkney

The last time anyone claims to have seen Charlotte Pinkney, aged 16, was on 2 March 2004. She disappeared from the north Devon town of Ilfracombe. If she died, her body has never been found.

The North Devon Marketing Bureau tells us: ‘in an area of outstanding natural beauty, nestling snugly amongst the rugged cliffs of the majestic Atlantic coast lies the town of Ilfracombe. The beautiful and breathtaking scenery of the North Devon coast surrounds this charming natural harbour.’ Ilfracombe also boasts a lively party scene where drugs were a part of the evening entertainment. Charlotte took drugs – alcohol, cannabis, ecstasy and cocaine. She had several boyfriends, and the main boyfriend at the time of her disappearance was Gus O’Brien, a man in his forties who was said to have been a drug dealer. Charlotte lived with him in his flat.

A convenient suspect

Although Charlotte’s mother seems to have last seen her on 27 February, it was not until 4 March that they reported her missing. A large scale search for her followed, with no result. On 7 March the police arrested Nick Rose, then aged 22, a friend of Charlotte. Nick was questioned, released on bail, then rearrested on 31 March and charged with the murder of Charlotte. Following a trial at Exeter Crown Court, he was convicted of the murder.

Nick last saw Charlotte early on the morning of Saturday, 28 February 2004. They had been at a party, and at about 4.30 am. Nick said he was leaving to visit a friend, Helena Mackenzie. Dean Copp asked if he could accompany him, and so did Charlotte. They drove away in a red Cavalier borrowed from Helena. When they arrived, she was out. They drove to another friend’s house. Dean went to see if anyone was in, while Nick turned the car round. Nick thought he saw police approaching the car, and drove away, since he was disqualified from driving. He says he dropped Charlotte off near the party and drove away, and that was the last he saw of her.

Before he could reached his home, he thought the car was running out of fuel, so he drove down a track near a reservoir where he thought the police would not follow. In a tunnel where a railway crossed the track, the car became stuck in some mud. Still under the impression that the police were after him, perhaps with dogs, he ran up the bank at the side of the track, through brambles which scratched his hands and arms. He made his way to a hut, and climbed on the roof, and waited there until he felt sure no one was after him. Then he returned to the car and tried to move it, without success. So he went home. Later in the day he returned to the car and managed to move it.

Circumstantial evidence

According to the prosecution, when Dean Copp left the car, Nick tried to have sex with Charlotte. Dean said he saw them kissing (although he did not say this to the police initially, and admitted he was high on drink and drugs at the time). He drove to the tunnel, it was alleged, because it was a secluded place. Nick denies the allegation. The prosecution surmised that Charlotte resisted Nick’s advances, and he killed her in anger at this refusal; he then concealed the body temporarily near where the car was stuck, and disposed of it at some later time.

Scenes of crime officers examined the car and found traces of Charlotte’s DNA in bloodstains on the roof lining and in the boot. Although the jury may have been given an impression that the interior of the car was covered in blood, the traces were tiny. Some could have been caused by Charlotte sneezing after snorting cocaine. Charlotte had been in the car on numerous occasions, since the car was used by many members of the group of friends which included her, Nick and Helena Mackenzie.

Near where the car was stuck Charlotte’s Lonsdale-brand handbag was found. Although Nick could not explain how it got there, Charlotte may have left it in the car by mistake and some passer by may have looked in the car on the morning of 28 February, taken it and dropped it, after removing the money and credit cards (which were never found).

The following morning, according to Natalie Mackenzie, the sister of Helena, Nick was at Helena’s house at the same time as her. She observed three scratches on his neck, too long and deep to have been made by brambles (although she did not mention these scratches in her initial statement to the police).

But at the time she said Nick was at Helena’s house, he was playing football. Nick is certain that his team mates would have noticed if he had the scratches on his neck described by Natalie. Unfortunately the football team was not called to give evidence at his trial.

Nick could not have killed Charlotte

There is no evidence which directly connects Nick Rose with the death of Charlotte Pinkney. There is plenty of evidence which shows he could not have killed her.

After the car became stuck in the mud in the tunnel, Nick would have had very little time in which to dispose of Charlotte’s body, before walkers came by and saw him with the car, and with no sign of Charlotte’s presence. The police surmised that he hid the body temporarily nearby, and returned later to move it to wherever it is now – so well hidden that a massive and detailed search over a wide area failed to find it. But between the early morning of 28 February and Nick’s arrest on 7 March, all his time is accounted for. He had no chance to dispose of the body.

The prosecution told the court that Nick murdered Charlotte before 6.30 on the morning of 28 February. At about 12.30 the same day a boy who knew Charlotte saw her walking towards the centre of town. At 1.00 pm Brett Holford, landord of the Victoria pub in Ilfracombe saw Charlotte in his pub. At 3.00 pm Ronald Townsend saw Charlotte in the same pub. Later that day Martin Watts saw Gus O’Brien with a girl in the street. When shown a photo of Charlotte, he said he was ninety-nine per cent certain that the girl was Charlotte. Charlene Bettis, who knew Charlotte well, saw her at 4.20 pm on 2 March in Ilfracombe Town centre.

The prosecution insisted all these witnesses were mistaken: Charlotte was already dead. They said that the Victoria pub witnesses were confusing Saturday 28 February with Saturday 21 February. But on 21 February, Charlotte spent the day in a pub on the other side of town, in the company of a number of her friends. Unfortunately these friends were not called to give evidence at Nick’s trial.

Appeal

Nick has been given leave to appeal on the basis of mistakes made by the judge in the conduct of the trial and his summing up. In addition yet another witness who saw Charlotte alive after the time when Nick is alleged to have killed her has come forward and will testify at the appeal, which is scheduled for 4-5 March 2006 .

Contacts:

Nick Rose, KB8522, H.M.P. Wakefield, 5 Love Lane, Wakefield WF2 9AG

Mr and Mrs Rose (Nick’s parents)
0208 582 2562
email KAYROSE1@blueyonder.co.uk

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