A retired boxer has been charged with the murder of a pensioner found stabbed to death in her bungalow 11 years ago.
David Newton, 69, appeared in court today in connection with the killing of Una Crown, 86.
The retired postmistress, of Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, died from stab wounds to her neck and chest, according to a post-mortem examination at the time.
The case was featured on the BBC’s Crimewatch programme last year when a £20,000 reward was offered for information leading to an arrest.
Newton, also of Wisbech, appeared at Cambridgeshire Magistrates Court for a two-minute appearance, after which he was remanded into custody.
David Newton, 69, has been charged with the murder of a pensioner found stabbed to death in her bungalow 11 years ago
Una Crown, 86, whose throat was slit before her body was torched 11 years ago
Una Crown and her late husband Jack Crown. The widow’s murder has been unsolved for years
The last image of Una Crown alive – CCTV taken at Wisbech Tesco on January 11 2013
Mrs Crown was last seen alive on January 11, 2013, and spoke to a friend at about 5pm the following day. Her body was found in a pool of blood on January 13 by a relative.
Police initially treated the death as unexplained before the post-mortem examination revealed what had happened.
The widow’s clothing had been set alight in what was believed to be an attempt to destroy evidence and conceal her injuries. Officers at first thought she had set herself alight while using her cooker.
Mrs Crown’s niece, Judy Payne, 80, whose husband John discovered the pensioner’s body, has long campaigned for justice.
She said today: ‘I’m not in a position to say anything on the matter as of yet.’Father-of-three Newton, who acts as full-time carer for his wife, Janet, was honoured with an award in 2016 after donating his 101st pint of blood.
He said at the time: ‘I used to bleed profusely if I got a knock on the nose and I just thought it would be a good idea to start giving blood when I stopped boxing.
‘Every pint of blood can help four people. I have given 101 pints, so I could easily have helped save the lives of 400 people.’
Accepting a certificate marking his contribution, he added he hoped to double his donations.
Concerns were only raised about Mrs Crown’s death two days after body was found when a mortuary technician feared she had been attacked.
But it was another two days before a pathologist confirmed she had died from stab wounds to her neck and chest and had defensive wounds to her hands.
As a result, detectives launched a murder inquiry and revealed that Mrs Crown’s wedding ring, front door key, and £40 were missing.
Cambridgeshire Police arrested a man on suspicion of murder yesterday and confirmed today that Newton had been charged.
Newton, who was wearing thick rimmed glasses a brown sweater stood in the glass-fronted dock throughout the hearing.
Presiding magistrate Glennis Virgo told him: ‘We are sending this case to a crown court hearing on Thursday April 18.
The retired postmistress, of Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, died from stab wounds to her neck and chest, according to a post-mortem examination at the time
Police are seen investigating the scene in Wisbech were Ms Crown was found murdered
‘We have no jurisdiction so you will be remanded in custody until you appear then, either in court or by video.’
Mrs Crown was last seen on CCTV during a shopping trip when she was captured leaving a store with her trolley.
Two police officers initially concluded her death was not suspicious, thinking she had died from a heart attack after her clothing had accidentally caught fire due to a faulty hob ring which she had tried to put out with a tea towel.
They also believed the slits to her throat were caused by the pressure from a scarf as her body hit the floor.
The bungled initial investigation meant that family members were allowed back into the property and evidence may have been destroyed.
Cambridge coroner William Morris slammed the bungled police investigation at an inquest in 2015 when he recorded a verdict that Mrs Crown had been unlawfully killed.
The inquest heard how detectives, paramedics and firefighters trampled through Mrs Crown’s home, ‘severely contaminating’ the murder scene.
Muddy footprints were left on the floor, a detective touched her front door key with his bare hand, and her grieving family was even allowed into the property to clean it up.
Mr Morris said: ‘I have to say the handling of evidence by the police has been unfortunate.’
‘In this suspicious death, foul play was too readily dismissed by police officers.’
The hearing was told how a theory was formed relatively early on by Acting Detective Sergeant Simon Gledhill that Mrs Crown had fallen on the hob or cooker and somehow set fire to herself and panicked before suffering a heart attack and collapsing in the hallway.
Mrs Crown’s niece, Judith Paynes, told the hearing she was lost for words, saying: ‘I cannot understand why this evidence wasn’t picked up.’
The hearing was told how Mrs Crown was covered in blood with her clothing ‘burnt to a crisp’ when the emergency services found her.
Home Office pathologist Nat Carey said: ‘This was clearly a homicide from the wounds I saw – that’s not to say that’s how it was treated.
Police initially treated the death as unexplained before the post-mortem examination revealed what had happened. Pictured are officers investigating the scene
Una Crown’s bungalow in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire
‘I concluded that she died from multiple stab wounds to her chest and neck.’
Senior investigator Detective Inspector Fraser Wylie told the inquest: ‘The scene was severely contaminated by the police, firefighters and paramedics because this had not been initially picked up as a murder investigation.’
A paramedic had prodded the body and transferred Mrs Crown’s blood to a light switch before rummaging through a chest of drawers.
He used latex gloves during his time at the house but admitted washing a bloodstained key under a tap after he touched it.
Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hopkins said the family’s complaints had been upheld in a review by the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire professional standards department in June 2013.
Officers were provided with extra training as a result but none faced formal disciplinary procedures.
Mr Hopkins said: ‘We recognise the failings by our officers in the initial stages of this investigation and we are deeply sorry for any hurt this has caused Mrs Crown’s family.’
Several people were earlier arrested in connection with the murder but all were released without charge.
Detective Superintendent Iain Moor, from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit, made a new appeal on the 11th anniversary of Mrs Crown’s death in January.
He insisted that the case would never be closed and detectives would investigate any new leads or information which emerged.
