DNA find is the 'plank' of murder case, jury told

The initial investigation into the death of an 86-year-old widow was "a mess" and police made "many, many mistakes", a lawyer has told a murder trial.

The defence is making its closing speeches in the trial of David Newton, 70, who is accused of the murder of Una Crown in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, 12 years ago.

Mrs Crown, a retired postmistress, was stabbed to death on the night of 12 January 2013 and Mr Newton, who lived nearby, has denied her murder.

Barrister Henry Grunwald KC, who is leading Mr Newton's legal team, told jurors on Wednesday that DNA evidence found on nail clippings was the "plank" of the prosecution case.

The trial, at Cambridge Crown Court, heard how Mr Newton was charged in 2024 after the new evidence emerged.

Jurors were told how DNA matching Mr Newton was found on nail clippings, taken from Mrs Crown's right hand in 2013 and re-examined in 2023.

Three clippings taken from Mrs Crown's left hand had gone missing during that time, the court heard.

Mr Grunwald asked how jurors could be sure that "things done in a laboratory" had been done properly.

He told jurors they could not "be sure" that the DNA came from Mr Newton.

The trial has heard how Temp Sgt Simon Gledhill, who arrived at the scene after Mrs Crown's body was found, initially thought the death was not suspicious.

A post-mortem examination two days later showed she had been stabbed and her throat cut.

Mr Grunwald pointed to "many, many mistakes" made by police, and said the scene had not been secured immediately and was initially "chaotic" and "unregulated".

He said there were "ways" the DNA matching Mr Newton's profile could have been "transferred" to Mrs Crown's body, telling jurors: "You cannot be sure, despite the matching profile, that this was from Mr Newton."

Mr Grunwald added: "It is difficult to comprehend how Temporary Sergeant Gledhill could have come to the conclusion that this was not even suspicious.

"Things were done that should not have been done.

"Things that should have been done were not."

"The prosecution brings the case against the defendant," Mr Grunwald told jurors.

"It is for them to prove his guilt."

He added: "We say, on the evidence before you, (they) cannot."

Mr Grunwald said Mrs Crown did not deserve to die and did not deserve what happened "thereafter".

He said police made "mistakes" and described the initial investigation as a "mess".

Mr Grunwald told jurors that prosecution lawyers had also argued that Mr Newton preyed on "vulnerable elderly women".

He added: "Rubbish."

The trial continues.

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