Trial for 2013 Murder of Woman to Start 12 Years Later

The trial of a man charged with the murder of an 86-year-old woman is scheduled to commence precisely 12 years following the discovery of her body. David Newton, aged 70, has entered a not guilty plea to the charge of murdering Una Crown, a retired postmistress who was found deceased at her residence in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, on 13 January 2013. Mrs Crown, a widow, was discovered in a pool of blood within her bungalow located on Magazine Lane. A judge is set to preside over the proceedings at Cambridge Crown Court, beginning on 13 January. Information regarding the trial’s schedule became known during a pre-trial hearing held at the court on Wednesday. Mr Newton, whose address is Magazine Close, Wisbech, and who remains in custody awaiting trial, was neither physically present at the hearing nor did he participate through a remote connection. Judge Mark Bishop reviewed various legal matters and listened to arguments presented by barristers representing both the prosecution and Mr Newton. It was communicated to him that jurors were not anticipated to commence hearing arguments until 14 January. Judge Bishop stated that a High Court judge of greater seniority would preside over Mr Newton’s trial. Mrs Crown’s death was initially regarded as an accident, but a murder investigation was initiated several days afterward. A post-mortem examination revealed that her death resulted from stab wounds to the neck and chest. Mr Newton was apprehended in April 2024. He entered a plea of not guilty during the initial phase of the legal proceedings. For updates on Cambridgeshire news, follow BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our policy on external linking is available.