David Newton guilty in Una Crown’s murder. Police apologise for initial probe errors in the 12-year-old case.
Detective Iain Moor spoke and said justice came for Una and her family. The jury convicted Newton, age 70, who murdered Mrs. Crown. She was stabbed in the neck and chest, and someone set her body on fire.
Police released pictures of key evidence. These showed clippings from her fingernails where Newton’s DNA was found. Photos of Una’s home were also shared, showing it as it was when found.
Det. Moor said they secured justice after twelve years. He stated mistakes occurred in 2013’s initial probe, and the police apologized to Una’s family.
He acknowledged those past errors and said they aim to give Una’s family justice. A fresh case review started in October 2022. They found new evidence in 2022 because police wanted to find the killer.
Crucial DNA evidence existed under Una Crown’s fingernails. New DNA tech helped solve it, as they only tested for male DNA. This helped crack the dormant case because the tech was not available back in 2013.
The DNA linked Newton to the crime. It challenged his claims of not seeing Una, and he had thought he got away. The verdict shows criminals can’t hide.
Moor thanked both past and present teams, and experts and witnesses helped greatly. They processed lots of evidence, with over 10,000 items. Former officers helped sort everything.
Six people worked for six months to sort relevant material. Some items were very long, and he noted the scale.
Moor said Una was robbed of her life. She was an 86-year-old widow, and nothing undoes this pain. He hopes the verdict gives closure, and his thoughts are with her loved ones.
Moor stressed police commitment to unsolved cases. They will review cases and seek new leads. No murder case is ever truly closed.
Newton will be sentenced tomorrow at Cambridge Crown Court.
Judge Garnham thanked the jury. They spent many hours on the case, and he excused them from jury duty. This exemption lasts for ten years.
The fingernails had Newton’s DNA. Blood was on a light switch in her house. A fire started in Una Crown’s kitchen. Her home was very tidy, and the dining table was set for two.