Kitchen installer sentenced to life in prison for murdering 86 year old Widow in Wisbech
David Newton, 70 has been given a minimum term of 21 years behind bars following a trial at Cambridge Crown Court
Last updated 14th Feb 2025
A 70-year-old has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 21 years for the murder of 86-year-old Una Crown in Wisbech.
David Newton's DNA was found on her fingernail clippings, leading to his conviction more than a decade after the crime.
The former kitchen installer from Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, was found guilty yesterday of murdering the retired postmistress at her home in Magazine Lane on 12 January 2013.
He had denied the charge but was convicted by a majority of 10 to two following a trial at Cambridge Crown Court.
Mrs Crown’s body was discovered the next day by John Payne, the husband of her niece, after she failed to arrive for Sunday lunch. She had suffered multiple stab wounds, and her clothing had been set on fire.
The initial police response did not treat her death as suspicious, leading to a delay in preserving the crime scene. Detective Superintendent Iain Moor of Cambridgeshire Police said: “Mistakes were made during the initial investigation in 2013, for which we have apologised to Una’s family.”
The case was reviewed in 2022, and forensic specialists used new DNA testing techniques to examine evidence collected at the time.
“Vital evidence was retained from the 2013 crime scene, in the form of DNA under the fingernails of Una Crown’s right hand,” Mr Moor said. “It was through pioneering new techniques, testing for male DNA only, that gave the evidence breakthrough which has been so crucial.”
Prosecutor John Price KC told jurors that DNA matching Newton’s profile was found on nail clippings taken at the post-mortem examination in 2013. “The DNA allowed us to cast doubt on David Newton’s claims that he hadn’t seen Una on the day, or days, before her death and place him at the scene of her murder,” Mr Moor said.
The court heard that Newton had been on state benefits at the time and that money was missing from Mrs Crown’s handbag. On the day her body was discovered, he was seen spending money at Wisbech Ex-Servicemen’s Club, where he played a fruit machine on two separate visits.
Following the conviction, Matthew Golby of the Crown Prosecution Service said: “For more than a decade, David Newton thought he could get away with murder. Today’s verdict proves otherwise. Advancements in DNA technology provided us with the compelling forensic link which would finally ensure Newton faced the full consequences of his actions.”
Mr Justice Neil Garnham told Newton: “The sentence for murder is life in prison but I have to determine the minimum period to be served.”
Matthew Golby of the Crown Prosecution Service said: “For more than a decade, David Newton thought he could get away with murder. Today’s verdict proves otherwise.
“For reasons only known to himself, he inflicted truly horrendous injuries to Una Crown who should have been safe in her own home.
“Working closely with police, advancements in DNA technology provided us with the compelling forensic link which would finally ensure Newton face the full consequences of his actions.
“We were determined to achieve justice for Una, no matter how long it took, and our thoughts remain with her family and loved ones who we hope can find some comfort in today’s verdict.”
"Jurors saw through his lies and this verdict shows you cannot hide forever"
In a statement released after the sentencing, Detective Sergeant Simon Oldfield said: "Today David Newton has been sentenced to life in prison for the savage murder of a frail elderly widow 12 years ago.
"DNA found on Una Crown’s fingernails was crucial in this case, and new testing techniques gave the vital breakthrough we needed to charge Newton with her murder.
"For more than a decade David Newton thought he had gotten away with this most horrendous crime, but jurors saw through his lies and this verdict shows you cannot hide forever.
"I would like to commend the 2013 team and current investigation team for their painstaking work. We have been supported by incredible experts, witnesses and specialists who have helped us discover who was responsible.
"Newton will now spend the rest of his life behind bars, and our thoughts are with Una’s family at this time who have, after more than a decade, got the closure they deserve and the answers they have longed for.
"Finally, this case demonstrates the police commitment to continually reviewing unsolved cases and seeking new lines of enquiry. No unsolved murder case is ever closed."
A judge sentenced Newton today to 21 years in prison, but reduced the sentence to 20 years and 6 days due to time already served in custody.