Father and son arrested in case of teen mum who vanished 21 years ago as police tear up their garden in hunt for body

A father and son were today arrested by police  investigating the disappearance of teenager Nicola Payne in Coventry 21 years ago.

Officers confirmed they had arrested two men aged 74 and 45 on suspicion of conspiracy to prevent the lawful and decent burial of a body - the pair were named locally as Patrick Judge, 74, and eldest son Keith, 45.


The development came as police expanded their search to the back garden of the semi-detached property in the Wood End area of the city.

Officers used x-ray equipment to search the house where the younger man is believed to have lived with his disabled father.

The property is just around the corner from parkland where a major search was launched yesterday after a tip-off that Miss Payne could be buried in scrubland.       More