Friend of Rikki Neave, six, says his last words were 'Will you marry me when I'm older?' court hears | Daily Mail Online
The friend of murdered schoolboy Rikki Neave said his last words to her were: 'Will you marry me when I'm older?' and claimed his mother 'throttled him until he turned blue for talking during
EastEnders', a court heard today.
Rikki, aged six, was found in woodland in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, in November 1994 after being strangled, stripped naked and left in a 'star pose'.
James Watson, who would have been 13 at the time, is now 40 and standing trial at the Old Bailey for Rikki's murder.
Watson was arrested after sophisticated technology found a 'definitive match' between his DNA profile and samples taken from Rikki's clothing after a new investigation was opened into the case in 2015.
In 1996, Rikki's mother Ruth Neave stood trial at Northampton Crown Court for his murder and was cleared by the jury.
During her trial she admitted child cruelty offences and served seven years in prison.
Donna McCormick, who was neighbour to the Neaves and would have been 12 at the time, gave evidence at Watson's trial via video link today - telling jurors Rikki had been a close friend.
She sobbed as she told the court the last words he ever spoke to her were: 'I'm going now. Will you marry me when I'm older