It's 30 years since a six-year-old boy from Peterborough was found dead near his home
The detective who led the case says he had no doubt about reopening the case
Last updated 28th Nov 2024
It's been 30 years since Rikki Neave was murdered and found near his home in Peterborough.
The detective who led the case says he knew he needed to reopen the investigation.
He was murdered by James Watson who was thirteen at the time.
The case was reopened in 2015, more than 20 years after the murder. However, it wasn't until 2022 when Watson's involvement was uncovered.
It was a cold case review that produced a DNA match and saw James Watson found guilty of the murder
He was jailed for 15 years.
Rikki Neave's naked body was found in the woods near his home.
Detective Superintendent Paul Fullwood, who led the case after it reopened, said:
"I've overseen about 60 murder investigations and hundreds of serious crime inquires and this was without a doubt the most complex investigation I've ever been involved in."
"We had thousands of documents, we had exhibits from the original inquiry that had been destroyed, and we had witnesses that had forgotten things."
"I think any murder is awful but when it's the murder of a small child there's a lot of attention."
"There was a lot of pressure and worry in the community, lots of rumours and scaremongering."
"People were fearful, asking if it could happen to another child. So, the pressure was on."
"After the jury's verdict, I remember thinking to myself, Wow, after all these years, we have finally secured justice for Rikki Neave and his family."