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Blue coat & abandoned Fiat -how case of missing psychiatrist was only solved 12 years on when another man met same fate

Blue coat & abandoned Fiat -how case of missing psychiatrist was only solved 12 years on when another man met same fate

The Suna day ago

THE MYSTERY of a missing doctor who vanished in a Welsh national park has finally been solved twelve years later.
Psychiatrist Shayne Eves Colaco went for a walk in the Carneddau mountains in Eryri - also called Snowdonia - when he disappeared.
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He drove from Stoke-on-Trent in the summer of 2012 and set off walking towards 3,209ft Pen yr Ole Wen.
But he didn't return to his Fiat car and was never seen again.
Despite searches, cops couldn't find him and he was declared dead six six later, despite his body remaining undiscovered.
Fast forward to January last year, when David Brookfield, 65, also vanished in the Welsh Carneddau mountains.
He WhatsApped his wife from the summit of Carnedd Llewelyn, but no one ever heard from him again.
For four months, searches were carried out to no avail.
But in May 2024, a blue jacket was sighted in the Ogwen Valley by a passing coastguard helicopter on a routine training exercise.
It is believed David had fallen in a gully and was seriously injured on his descent from the mountain.
While his body was recovered, mountain rescue made another change discovery.
They spotted another jacket further down the gully, that looked far older and seemed to have been there for some time.
Sgt Paul Terry of the North Wales Police drone unit recalled to North WalesLive:
'The jacket didn't seem to fit with the picture of what we were investigating. It was an older jacket, one that seemed to have been there for some time and inside the pocket was a car key.
'Deep in the memory of this rescue team was Shayne Colaco, who had gone missing in the same area 12 years earlier.'
As the cops investigated further, they were "amazed" to find that the details matched up with the missing hiker.
So they resumed the search for Shayne in another bid to find him and bring peace to his family.
A drone pilot then noticed a piece of fabric under a bush in the gully.
Sgt Terry continued: 'Quite incredibly, [he] realised that he had also discovered the remains of Shayne Colaco.
'What's really so amazing about this story is that so many of the people involved in searching for David had also been involved in the searches 12 years before for Shayne."
David and Shane were both experienced walkers who were well prepared, and Sgt Terry warned hikers that it's important to understand the danger of the hills and weather.
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Nan's life taken in 'explosive, cowardly attack of unspeakable ferocity and cruelty'
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Nan's life taken in 'explosive, cowardly attack of unspeakable ferocity and cruelty'

Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info The life of a much loved nan was snatched away in an "explosive and cowardly" attack of "unspeakable ferocity and cruelty'. Dean Mears, 35, smashed his way into Catherine Flynn's house on Cefndy Road in Rhyl late at night last October 24 before stamping on the defenceless 69-year-old head and neck 15 times, shattering every bone in her face. Mears, of Bodelwyddan Avenue, Kinmel Bay, was sentenced to life imprisonment at Caernarfon Crown Court today and will serve a a minimum term of 27 years before he is even considered for parole. He had admitted killing Mrs Flynn but was convicted of her murder by a jury following a nine-day trial last month. You can sign up for all the latest court stories here Judge Rhys Rowlands sentence was applauded in the public gallery by family and friends of the devoted family woman. The judge praised Mrs Flynn's loved ones for their "quite remarkable forbearance" during a harrowing trial. Sentencing Mears, the judge said the killing was not premeditated but Mears had committed it for gain and lost his temper with Mrs Flynn: "You took Mrs Flynn's life in an explosive, cowardly attack of quite unspeakable ferocity and cruelty." The judge said he was "in awe" of the dignity shown by Mrs Flynn's daughter Natasha who watched the Ring doorbell footage of Mears breaking in to Mrs Flynn home. (Image: North Wales Police) No-one present during the trial would forget a crime which he branded "savage". Mrs Flynn died from asphyxia, the day after the attack, at a trauma hospital in Stoke having drowned from her own blood. Mrs Flynn's son Michael branded Mears' actions "pure evil and unforgivable. Daughter Natasha said their mum's brain had been turned to "mush" and he left her "weeping blood". She branded Mears a "coward". But she said they would remember Mrs Flynn as the kind hearted person she was. She ended her powerful statement: "Good night and God Bless, Mum. I love you girl and justice for our Queenie." At his trial, Mears admitted killing Mrs Flynn but claimed diminished responsibility. The jury heard evidence that Mears had ketamine, cannabis and cocaine in his system, and had inflicted severe blunt force injuries to Catherine's head, face and neck which proved fatal. (Image: North Wales Police handout) The medical evidence presented by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) described the injuries as high impact trauma, consistent with repeated forceful stamps. The jury also heard that Mears had attempted to dispose of clothing, in multiple locations, but police recovered the items. Having heard all the evidence in the case, including psychiatric evidence, the jury convicted Mears of murder. Mears' own barrister described the murder as "dreadful and brutal". He also pointed to how his client had been a victim of serious violence years ago. Speaking after sentencing, Deanne McGinty from the CPS said: 'Dean Mears inflicted a brutal attack on Catherine Flynn in her own home, a place where she should have been safe. (Image: North Wales Police) 'He then tried to cover his tracks by attempting to dispose of evidence. 'The jury rejected his claim of diminished responsibility after hearing all the evidence presented by the Crown Prosecution Service. 'Mears' actions resulted in a tragic loss of life, and that loss is deeply felt by the family and friends of Catherine. Our thoughts will remain with them.' Mears was sentenced to 27 years and 128 days, less time spent on remand in custody, before he can apply for parole. Find crime figures for your area

Moment burglar smashes into nan's home before beating her to death in attack heard by helpless daughter – as he's jailed
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Dean Mears Rhyl ring doorbell killer jailed for Catherine Flynn murder
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The daughter of a woman brutally killed by a drug dealer has said her life "shattered" the moment she saw the murderer enter her mother's Mears dragged grandmother Catherine Flynn, 69, from her bed and stamped on her, breaking every bone in her face during the attack in October Flynn's daughter Natasha Flynn-Farrell said she watched helplessly after she received a doorbell camera alert of the drug dealer breaking into her mother's home in the seaside town of Rhyl in Denbighshire. Jailing him for life with a 27 year and 128 day minimum term, Judge Rhys Rowlands said Mears, 35, was responsible for a "savage, and quite ferocious and merciless attack". He said the recording captured on the doorbell camera "can only be described as horrific"."It was by all accounts a truly shocking and cruel way to end her life."Mears, from Kinmel Bay in Conwy, was found guilty of murder after a nine-day trial in Caernarfon in jury heard he had taken ketamine and cannabis before breaking into the frail grandmother's home - a woman he had never then smashed a window and entered the home, going straight to Mrs Flynn's could be heard screaming at her before the sickening sound of stamping was captured on the doorbell Flynn was taken to hospital after suffering extensive facial trauma and multiple fractures, where she died the following Andrew Jones KC said she had suffered serious health and mobility issues, and used a stairlift and a walking frame inside her was just 4ft 10in (1.47m) and weighed less than eight stone (50kg). Mrs Flynn-Farrell addressed her mother's killer in the dock on Friday. "You Dean Mears - you can't even look at me," she said. 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