Murder of Nikki Allan

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Murder of Nikki Allan
Mrs Justice Lambert

On 7 October 1992, Nikki Allan, a seven-year-old English girl, was murdered by David Boyd who "beat her about the head with a brick" shattering her skull and stabbed her multiple times, inside the derelict Old Exchange Building in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England.[1] The following day, Allan's body was found in the basement room.[1] George Heron was acquitted of the murder in 1993. Boyd was found guilty of Allan's murder in 2023 and was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 29 years.[2][3]

Background

Nikki Allan was a seven-year-old English girl who lived on a council estate in Wear Garth, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, North East England, with her mother Sharon Henderson, stepfather, sister and two half-sisters.[1]

Murder

On 7 October 1992, Allan was walking home from her grandfather's flat on the same estate when she disappeared.[4] She set off at 8:30pm.[4] When Henderson arrived home, Allan was nowhere to be seen. More than 100 neighbours helped to search for Allan.[4] The following day, Allan's shoes and coat were spotted outside the nearby derelict Quayside Old Exchange building in High Street East, Sunderland.[5][4] Her body was found inside the basement of the building with 37 stab wounds and her head had been bludgeoned by a brick.[6]

Legal proceedings against George Heron

In late 1993, George Heron, a young man who lived near Allan's home, stood trial at

Leeds Crown Court for Allan's murder.[7] A knife matching the stab wounds was found in Heron's lodgings. Blood splatters were also found on Heron's shoes and clothing.[7] Heron's sister told police that after he had returned home on the night of the murder he had gone straight to the bathroom for a "good half hour", something which Heron would not usually do.[7] He had gone to the bathroom to wash both himself and his clothes.[7] Heron had denied being out on the evening of the murder, although four witnesses said that they had seen a man at the Boar's Head pub and the Clarendon pub who matched his description.[7] He was seen buying cheese and onion crisps, which were Allan's favourite crisps, and police believed that he had used these to lure Allan into the building.[7] After three days of questioning, Heron confessed to the murder, although he had previously denied the murder 120 times.[7] The evidence against Heron was circumstantial. However, police believed that a conviction would be secured.[7]

The case against Heron collapsed after the judge ruled that Heron's taped confession to the murder was inadmissible in court.[7] The judge blamed "heavy-handed police tactics" for this outcome.[7] Heron was found not guilty of Allan's murder and was given a change of identity and was moved out of Sunderland.[7]

In 1994, Henderson brought a

civil case against Heron.[7] She charged Heron with, "battery on a child, resulting in her death." A court found this to be in her favour and ordered him to pay her more than £7,000.[7] He was unable to be traced which meant that the money was never paid.[7] In May 2023, Northumbria Police apologised to him.[8]

Investigation

In February 2014, imprisoned serial killer Steven Grieveson was arrested on suspicion of Allan's murder.[9] He was questioned and was later told that he would face no further action.[9]

In May 2016, a woman contacted Henderson claiming to have new information about the murder.[4] The woman, who was twelve years old at the time of the murder and had been babysitting nearby at the time Allan disappeared, spoke to police.[4] In September the same year, Henderson called for a full reinvestigation of the crime.[10] She launched an online petition urging Northumbria Police to carry out a "top-to-bottom" review of the case.[10] This petition attracted more than 500 signatures in less than 24 hours.[10] The following month, Henderson contacted Grieveson, asking him to share anything that he may know about Allan's death.[10] In April 2017, Henderson met Northumbria Police Chief Constable Steve Ashman and Detective Chief Inspector Lisa Theaker. They restated their determination to "bring Nikki's killer to justice."[4] In October 2017, police said that they had successfully recovered a DNA sample from an unknown male.[10]

On 17 April 2018, Northumbria Police raided a house in the Stockton area of Teesside and arrested a man on suspicion of Allan's murder.[11] Two years later in April 2020, Henderson was contacted by a stranger saying that she could have information about Allan's murder.[4]

Arrest and trial of David Boyd

The man arrested in 2018 was charged with the murder in 2022.

Newcastle Crown Court on 24 May 2022 and was remanded in custody.[12] On 20 June 2022, Boyd appeared at Newcastle Crown Court via videolink and pleaded not guilty to the murder.[13]

On 20 April 2023, the trial of Boyd began at Newcastle Crown Court.

pigeons.[1]

David Boyd had been convicted in March 2000 of indecent assault of a young girl at a park in Stockton that took place on 8 April 1999.[14] Boyd had also been convicted of breaching the peace in 1986 in which he had approached four children in Sacriston, County Durham and grabbed a ten-year-old girl.[14]

During the trial, the defence alleged that the "various strands of evidence don't prove" and that they were the "result of innocent coincidences."[15] Mrs Justice Christina Lambert told the jury that the case relied on "circumstantial evidence" and that there was "no direct evidence" of Boyd's guilt.[15] Later on in the trial, it was reported that Boyd would not be giving evidence.[15]

On 12 May 2023, Boyd was found guilty of the murder of Allan.[2] It took the jury of 10 women and two men two and a half hours of deliberating to convict Boyd.[16] Henderson spoke to BBC News about the 30-year wait for justice.[2] On 23 May 2023, Boyd was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 29 years before becoming eligible for release on parole.[3] Boyd will become eligible to apply for parole on 16 August 2049.[17]

In August 2023, it was reported that Henderson was to sue Northumbria Police over her 30-year wait for the conviction of Boyd.[18] In September 2023, it was reported that the police investigation which took 30 years to identify Boyd as Allan's killer would be the subject of a review by either the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) or another police force.[19] It was also reported that Boyd was to appeal his conviction and sentence.[20]

See also

Other (still unsolved) UK cold cases where the offender's DNA is known:

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Nikki Allan: David Boyd lured girl to her death in 1992, jury told". BBC News. 20 April 2023. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "Nikki Allan: A mother's 30-year search for her daughter's killer". BBC News. 12 May 2023. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Nikki Allan: David Boyd jailed for 1992 Sunderland murder". BBC News. 23 May 2023. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Doughty, Sophie (6 October 2017). "Nikki Allan murder: How brutal child killing sparked 30 year fight for justice". ChronicleLive. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  5. ^ Kennedy, Rob (10 May 2023). "Nikki Allan murder accused David Boyd will not give evidence in his trial". ChronicleLive. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  6. ^ Kennedy, Rob (3 May 2023). "Nikki Allan murder: Footage showing accused being arrested shown to court". ChronicleLive. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  7. ^
    ISSN 0261-3077
    . Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  8. ISSN 0261-3077
    . Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  9. ^ a b Doughty, Sophie (19 August 2020). "Nikki Allan's mum to meet potential new witness 28 years on from murder". ChronicleLive. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  10. ^ a b c d e "Nikki Allan murder: A timeline of events around the crime that shocked Sunderland". Sunderland Echo. 8 February 2019. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  11. ^ Doughty, Sophie; Corrigan, Naomi (20 April 2018). "Man arrested over murder of schoolgirl Nikki Allan 25 years ago". ChronicleLive. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  12. ^ a b c "Nikki Allan: Man in court charged with 1992 Sunderland murder". BBC News. 24 May 2022. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  13. ^ "Nikki Allan: Man pleads not guilty to 1992 murder". BBC News. 20 June 2022. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  14. ^ a b "Nikki Allan trial: Accused had sexual interest in girls". BBC News. 9 May 2023. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  15. ^ a b c "Nikki Allan trial: Murdered girl was 'dumped like rubbish'". BBC News. 10 May 2023. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  16. ^ "Nikki Allan murder: David Boyd guilty of killing Sunderland girl". BBC News. 12 May 2023. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  17. ^ "Criminal Sentence – David Boyd". The Law Pages. 23 May 2023. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  18. ^ "Nikki Allan: Mum of murdered girl to sue Northumbria Police". BBC News. 9 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  19. ^ "Nikki Allan: Northumbria Police 30-year murder probe to be reviewed". BBC News. 13 September 2023. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  20. ^ "Nikki Allan: David Boyd seeks to appeal conviction for Sunderland schoolgirl's murder". ITV News. 18 September 2023. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
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