Murder of Wisbech pensioner to feature in two-part TV special
24 Hours in Police Custody follows detectives as they build a case against David Newton
A cold case murder involving the stabbing of an elderly widow in her Wisbech home is set to be featured in a two-part special on the popular Channel 4 show "24 Hours in Police Custody".
The episodes, airing on 13th and 14th April, will follow Detective Superintendent Iain Moor and the Major Crime Unit as they reopen the investigation into the 2013 murder of Una Crown.
Una, 86, was found dead in her bungalow on Magazine Lane with stab wounds to her neck and chest, and her clothing burnt in an attempt to hide evidence.
The show will document the detectives' efforts to piece together evidence collected over the years and employ new forensic techniques.
These techniques identified male DNA under Una’s fingernails which matched David Newton, now in his 70s, who lived nearby.
Detectives ruled out all male relatives in Newton’s paternal line before presenting a compelling prosecution case.
In February last year, David Newton was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 21 years.
Judge Justice Neil Garnham highlighted the severity of the attack during sentencing.
Det Supt Moor said: “For more than a decade David Newton thought he had gotten away with this most horrendous crime. He was hiding in plain sight, but jurors saw through his lies and as this programme highlights, you cannot hide forever.
“When I joined the Major Crime Unit, the first thing my wife said to me was, ‘you’ve got to solve this murder’.
“I’m immensely proud of bringing Newton to justice after more than a decade, and finally getting justice and closure for Una’s family. Una, by the actions she took on that night, solved her own case as she fought her attacker.”
"The Cold Case Murder" episodes will air at 9pm on Channel 4.