Marian Bates death: Two arrested as hunt for James Brodie's body continues

TWO men have been arrested on suspicion of the murder of James Brodie – the suspected killer of Arnold jeweller Marian Bates.

Police have this week being searching a Lincolnshire farm for the remains of Brodie, who has not been seen for nearly a decade.

And yesterday they announced they had made the arrests – one in Notts and the other in Derbyshire.

The Post understands the men to be Dean Betton, 32, formerly of Broxtowe, and Craig Moran, 31, formerly of Bestwood.

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Brodie has been hunted by police ever since the high-profile murder of Mrs Bates during a botched robbery at the Time Centre, Arnold, in September 2003.

Police confirmed they believed the then 20-year-old from Bulwell had himself been murdered.

Since Monday, search teams have been combing Maize Farm in East Heckington, but as of last night they had not found any remains.

They were set to continue their hunt today.

Detective Chief Inspector Rob Griffin, who is leading the murder investigation, has told the Post that he is confident they will make a discovery.

Yesterday he reiterated this, adding: "I am reasonably confident we will find what we are looking for – certainly optimistic.

"Based on intelligence we have been given, we still believe that Maize Farm in East Heckington is a likely scene for the murder of James Brodie.

"The search will continue for between three and five days. I'm confident the remains of James Brodie are on this site."

Grandmother Mrs Bates, 64, was shot in front of her husband Victor Bates and their daughter Xanthe.

Peter Williams, 19, was jailed for 22 years after being convicted of murder.

In legal submissions, the judge heard Williams told police that Bestwood crime boss Colin Gunn was behind the raid.

The court heard that Williams took part in the robbery but that an accomplice – believed to be Brodie – fired the shot.

This isn't the first time police have searched for Brodie's body. Notts Police have travelled to Glasgow, searched a fish farm in Leicestershire, land near Flintham near Newark and flats in Top Valley and Bulwell over the years.

But they are understood not to have searched any other locations since 2007.

Gunn is now in jail for plotting the murders of innocent Lincolnshire couple John and Joan Stirland in Trusthorpe, Lincolnshire, in 2004.