Will a £20k reward solve the 20-year mystery of Martin who disappeared after going to pub?
THE trail, in the case of missing Martin Joyce, ends at the Bank of England pub.
It was there that then 29-yearold man was last seen, back in 1999. His is an unsolved case which has left a large family bereft, and presented detectives with intriguing details - like stories of a violent feud between travellers, and the fact the place where he was last seen was linked to the Quality Street Gang - details which word [murder]. I do understand have so far come to nothing. what the police have got to say but
At one stage, it was reported that I believe that he’s out there.” Martin was seen in Scotland. Then Det Chief Insp Stuart Wilkinson, it was said, in 2016, that he was who has now taken the lead in the buried under the Bank of England. case, told the M.E.N how police Detectives even dug it up, but that have made exhaustive ‘proof of too came to nothing. life’ inquiries - including checks
Nonetheless, officers still believe with health authorities, HMRC the answer to the case could lie in and passport control. They’ve also that pub, now closed, at Pollard chased down possible sightings as Street, Ancoats. And they are hoping far away as Scotland to no avail. a substantial reward will help Therefore the Bank of England them finally crack the case. pub, and the people who were
Martin’s family still hold out there that weekend of September hope that the dad-of-one is still 5, 1999, remain the focus. alive - although they understand In 2016, the missing person case why detectives are now treating became a murder investigation. the case as murder. Police received ‘credible’ information
His sister, Mary Joyce, last saw Martin had been killed during Martin when he dropped her a fight and was buried at the and another brother off pub. at a relative’s house. Police searched the
“We just want premises for two Martin home,” she weeks but didn’t said. “There’s not a find anything. day goes by that Around then, he’s not on the Jimmy ‘The Weed’ brain. We’re going Donnelly, who had to celebrate his been licensee of the birthday on Saturday take The Bank of Bank of England pub a cake to the cemetery England pub at the time Martin went in Gorton where his missing, contacted the mum and dad are. M.E.N. Mr Donnelly has a reputation,
“It’s the same as if it just happened not least because of a 2011 yesterday - it never leaves autobiography. In the sixties and my mind. I don’t even like the seventies, he had been at the heart of the clique of businessmen, hardmen and Manchester underworld characters who came to be known as the ‘Quality Street’ gang. He told us, in the 2016 call, that he wanted to ‘clear the air’ as police attention focused on the pub.
Donnelly told us he remembered Martin, one of 13 siblings, visiting his pub - and that Martin had had ‘violent’ but short-lived problems with the traveller community at that time.
But Donnelly said he had no knowledge of what happened to Martin and wanted to see him come home safe to his family.
The M.E.N can reveal that earlier this year, a suspect was interviewed under caution about Martin’s disappearance, although that ultimately did not provide police with any further lines of inquiry.
Mr Wilkinson said: “[Martin’s disappearance] is completely out of character, he’s literally disappeared in 1999 without any reason. So if there’s anybody who was in the pub that weekend, clearly we’re asking them to help.”
A £20,000 reward is available for information that leads to the body being found and/or a successful conviction.