Man found guilty of murdering widow, 86, in 2013

A man arrested and released over the death of an 86-year-old widow 12 years ago has now been convicted of her murder.

The body of retired postmistress Una Crown was discovered at her bungalow in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, on 13 January 2013. She had been stabbed four times and her throat had been cut.

David Newton, 70, who had denied murder, was charged in April 2024 after new techniques were used to re-examine DNA evidence taken at the scene.

Det Sgt Simon Oldfield, of the Bedfordshire Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit, said: "For more than a decade David Newton thought he had gotten away with this most horrendous crime, but today's result shows you cannot hide forever."

Newton, a retired kitchen fitter who lived near Mrs Crown, was found guilty after a trial lasting more than three weeks at Cambridge Crown Court.

He will be sentenced at the same court on Friday.

Mrs Crown's body had been discovered in the hallway of her home by relatives who had arrived to take her to Sunday lunch.

Police officers did not immediately recognise Mrs Crown's death as suspicious and it was initially treated as "unexplained".

Defence barrister Henry Grunwald KC told the trial there had been "many, many mistakes" made by Cambridgeshire Police, in that the crime scene had not been secured immediately and it was "chaotic" and "unregulated".

But DNA matching Newton was found on nail clippings taken from Mrs Crown's right hand after her death in 2013.

The clippings were retested by forensic scientists 10 years on.

The court heard that three nail clippings taken from Mrs Crown's left hand had gone missing during that time, and asked how jurors could be sure that "things done in a laboratory" had been done properly.

He told jurors they could not "be sure" the DNA had come from Newton.

John Price KC, prosecuting, said a "series of truly remarkable coincidences" must have occurred if the defendant was "not the person who stabbed Una Crown".

However, Newton did not give evidence during the trial and no defence witnesses were called.

Julia Green, Mrs Crown's niece, said her family could now "carry on with our lives knowing justice has been done".

"In 2013 we heard our Auntie Una had passed away. Two days later we heard it was murder and our worlds stopped," she said.

"An elderly widow watching her favourite TV programme, feeling warm and safe in her own home.

"The attack was brutal, horrific and an assault on a defenceless, frail elderly widow."

She said a number of close relatives, including Mrs Crown's brother, had passed away since her death, and never knew justice had been served.

Det Sgt Oldfield added: "Mistakes were made during the initial investigation in 2013, for which we have apologised to Una's family.

"Once again, we acknowledge those errors and apologise it has taken this long for Una's family to get justice.

"Vital evidence was retained from the 2013 crime scene which gave the crucial evidence breakthrough using a DNA testing technique not available in 2013."

He commended the teams who had worked on the case and said a total of 10,580 items of material were sorted and disclosed to the court - the largest-ever general disclosure exercise for the force.

"Nothing can take the pain of this heartbreaking case away," he added, "but I hope today's verdict gives Una's family the closure they deserve and the answers they have longed for."

Matthew Golby, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: "For reasons only known to himself, [Newton] inflicted truly horrendous injuries to Una Crown who should have been safe in her own home.

"Working closely with police, advancements in DNA technology provided us with the compelling forensic link which would finally ensure Newton face the full consequences of his actions.

"We were determined to achieve justice for Una, no matter how long it took, and our thoughts remain with her family and loved ones who we hope can find some comfort in today's verdict."