GUILTY UK - Rikki Neave, 6, murdered, Peterborough, 28 Nov 1994 *Arrest*

[SuperStarSleuth]

Think a few defence witnesses are people that reported seeing Rikki around after 5 on evening he was reported missing.. as this would suggest prosecution wrong on time of death

 

[UK Girl]

I still dont understand this part
Later, the jury heard from PC Malcolm Graham, who was the first officer to find Rikki's body on the morning he had been reported missing.

Giving evidence in a grey suit and light blue shirt, he said he continued to serve with the Cambridge Constabulary as a police officer until 2019.

He was part of the team of officers who searched for missing Rikki, combing through the wood where his body was eventually found as part of that effort.

'I recall there were approximately 10 officers on the team and searching.

'We lined out...we were about 10 yards apart.

'We started to walk from east to west.'

The now retired officer confirmed that the photos shared of Rikki's body in court accurately showed how he found the six-year-old's body that day - 'naked, lying on its back and spread eagled'.

The body was tkane to the mortuary and the officer went with Rikki's father, Trevor Harvey, to formally identify the body the next day, the court heard.

He said he spotted Rikki's legs around five minutes after the search began.

'It was very quick.

'I remember going close enough to see the whole body and then calling my sergeant over.'

Mr Graham told jurors how the police employed 'dragon lamps', high intensity searchlights, to light up the wood as they searched.

Watson, of no fixed address, denies murder.

The trial continues.

Has it been confirmed when he was reported missing? as that reads as he was reported missing the day AFTER going missing. Ok...Watsons lawyer said the clearing was checked at 8.30 pm I THINK she said...but is there anywhere that says it was indeed checked the previous night given what the policeman here has said?

 

[UK Girl]

New defence witness (Watson was no. 54), no idea who this could be. I thought they may have been on closing arguments.

Central Criminal Court 1 T20207051
James Lewis Watson
Details: Trial (Part Heard) - Resume - 10:33
Trial (Part Heard) - Case adjourned until 12:15 - 11:54
Trial (Part Heard) - Resume - 12:15
Trial (Part Heard) - Case adjourned until 14:05 - 12:59
Trial (Part Heard) - Witness Number 55 Sworn - 14:08

https://www.thelawpages.com/court-hearings-lists/Central-Criminal-Court.php

So I have gone over all the articles about the case and named all the witnesses. We are barely half way through the witnesses if there are at least 54 which makes me wonder if a lot of witnesses have been heard in a closed court if that makes sense?

James Watson (Defendent not Witness)
Ruth
Dean Neave (?)
Dr Cary (pathologist)
PC Malcolm Graham
Sylvia Clary ( 90 year old neighbour of dads)
Martin Reed
Deborah Lawson (social Worker)
Kelly Nuttall (Neighbour)
Jennifer Boxall (Rikkis headmistress)
Martin Careswell (Rikkis friend)
Alan Stacey (Rikkis neighbour)
Mark Moss (Rikkis friend)
David Benjamin (Watsons head teacher)
Donna McCormick (Rikkis neighbour/friend)
Shirley Cliffe (Watsons mother)
Bryony Swift (Family Aid Worker)
Watsons Ex GF
Jean Larkin (Childrens Home Manager)
Andrew Bailey (Watsons Halfbrother)
Julia Searle (Police Woman)

 

[SuperStarSleuth]

Back to things about Ruth in court again today

 

[SuperStarSleuth]

Not back in court till Wednesday now

 

[UK Girl]

Neighbour of Rikki Neave, six, says she heard screams of children 'in distress' from his home | Daily Mail Online

 

[UK Girl]

this case is just so odd...I feel so sorry for the Jury when it comes to making a verdict

 

[UK Girl]

He is in court today. Whether or not anything will be released who knows

 

[SuperStarSleuth]

Was a quick one today, maybe something to do with Jury as they was off cause of covid

 

[Legally Bland]

Looks like they're back hearing evidence now.

Central Criminal Court 1 T20207051
James Lewis Watson
Details: Trial (Part Heard) - 10:30
Trial (Part Heard) - Resume - 12:03
Trial (Part Heard) - Witness Number 56 Sworn - 12:26
Trial (Part Heard) - Case adjourned until 14:05 - 13:01

https://www.thelawpages.com/court-hearings-lists/Central-Criminal-Court.php

 

[UK Girl]

Rikki murder suspect ‘told his sister he messed up by leaving UK during probe’ - BelfastTelegraph.co.uk

 

[UK Girl]

What does No Event mean? and that witness wasnt on the stand long.

s: Trial (Part Heard) - Resume - 10:32
Trial (Part Heard) - Witness Number 58 Sworn - 10:56
Trial (Part Heard) - No Event - 11:09
Trial (Part Heard) - Witness evidence concluded - 11:21
Trial (Part Heard) - Legal Submissions - 12:01

 

[UK Girl]

Some more info from yesterday...from the sister...its even more confusing about the dad Rikki Neave murder trial: Jurors tested positive for Covid | Cambs Times

 

[UK Girl]

Ok so the sister is three years older than him and said her dad was a lorry driver...although she thinks he might have been a cop before she was born which if he ever was...was way before James was ever thought about....which possibly makes more sense why the neighbour said she knew James because his dad did her patio or veranda but why on earth did James blatantly lie about something that could be checked out? and didnt the police ever check this out? none of it makes sense.

 

[UK Girl]

from a few weeks ago Rikki Neave: Police officer's son denies murder | Cambs Times

Watson was taken into care after his father, a serving police officer with Cambridgeshire Police, was arrested and subsequently jailed, the court was told.

He could not stay with his mother instead because of the person she was living with, the jury was told.

Watson said: "It was not my fault that I had to leave and go into care."

but by this time he was 12/13 and his sister was 16ish... and yet she said today...if he was a police officer it was before she was born...I am so glad I am not the Jury as none of this makes any sense at all.

 

[Legally Bland]

Roberto Silveri, previously known as Pc Robert McNeill, told the Old Bailey he was confident that Rikki was not there on the night he disappeared.

[...]

Mr Silveri said murder investigation detectives later pointed out that Rikki was found a short distance into the woods, an area he said he had previously checked.

He told jurors on Monday: “I was taken to the spot where he was located.

“Had that body been there that night, I would have stood on him.

“It was on the path that I walked through.”

Asked by defence counsel Jennifer Dempster QC if the body was there, Mr Silveri replied: “Absolutely not.”

Rikki Neave not in woods when I searched, former police officer tells court

 

[UK Girl]

Roberto Silveri, previously known as Pc Robert McNeill, told the Old Bailey he was confident that Rikki was not there on the night he disappeared.

[...]

Mr Silveri said murder investigation detectives later pointed out that Rikki was found a short distance into the woods, an area he said he had previously checked.

He told jurors on Monday: “I was taken to the spot where he was located.

“Had that body been there that night, I would have stood on him.

“It was on the path that I walked through.”

Asked by defence counsel Jennifer Dempster QC if the body was there, Mr Silveri replied: “Absolutely not.”

Rikki Neave not in woods when I searched, former police officer tells court

there would be two questions I guess. 1..do they know what time he got back here to March that night ie did he go back by some sort of taxi or train? the train station is close to the childrens home and trains back then ran every 20 mins til around 11 pm and secondly was he at school the next day or free to do as he liked? although moving a body in day light would have been pretty risky.

 

[UK Girl]

the other thing he says "He added: “A white, naked body would have stood out like a beacon.” but it was late November it would have been pitch black by six pm

 

[MissMarbles]

the other thing he says "He added: “A white, naked body would have stood out like a beacon.” but it was late November it would have been pitch black by six pm

I suppose he means would be very visible with torchlight.

 

[UK Girl]

I suppose he means would be very visible with torchlight.

Perhaps but that area is full of bushes although thinking about it...has anything actually been said about him having scratches etc on? ie if he was dragged though bushes you would think he would have some