Mother of murdered seven-year-old Nikki Allan to take legal action against Northumbria Police

Shortly prior to the stroke of 10 pm on October 7, 1992, Nikki was enticed from her residence in the East End of Sunderland to a dilapidated edifice, where she suffered multiple stabbings and a forceful blow to the head with a brick, orchestrated by David Boyd.

The discovery of her lifeless form ensued the following dawn.

The CWJ, acting as the representative for Nikki's mother, Sharon Henderson, contends that subsequent to an initial homicide inquiry, Northumbria Police "apprehended an erroneous individual" and alleges the extraction of a "coerced confession."

"The confession, dismissed by the judge in a Leeds Crown Court trial in 1993, resulted in the acquittal of the wrongly accused George Heron," the CWJ appended.

In 2018, Boyd, now 55 and residing three doors away from Nikki's family, faced arrest following a DNA breakthrough and meticulous police endeavors.

This year, in May, Boyd received a conviction at Newcastle Crown Court for the girl's murder, garnering a life sentence with a minimum of 29 years.

During the trial, the court unveiled that forensic progressions played a pivotal role as, employing novel methodologies, the police successfully identified a DNA profile on Nikki's apparel, aligning with Boyd, post the case's reevaluation in 2017.

Detective Chief Superintendent Lisa Theaker, the senior investigator, articulated that since 2017, the team has garnered "more than 1,200 statements, produced over 2,500 documents, and initiated over 5,500 actions," culminating in extracting DNA from over 800 men across the nation to incontrovertibly establish Boyd's culpability.

Ms. Henderson presently demands a "comprehensive inquiry" into the original investigation, 31 years prior, into her daughter's murder.

The CWJ asserts that Ms. Henderson has commenced the process of holding Northumbria Police accountable for their "ineptitude in probing the crime, leading to the wrongful imprisonment of an innocent suspect while the actual perpetrator roamed free."

On Wednesday, August 9, Ms. Henderson's legal representative and CWJ director, Harriet Wistrich, conveyed her written notification to Northumbria Police Chief Constable Vanessa Jardine, signifying the intention to pursue legal action and impose accountability.

Ms. Wistrich separately corresponded with the Northumbria police and crime commissioner, Kim McGuinness, inviting her to conduct a thorough, formal inquiry.

The CWJ highlights that it took Northumbria Police a quarter of a century to initiate a comprehensive review of the available evidence after Ms. Henderson pleaded for a more substantial allocation of resources to the investigation.

In this year's trial, the Crown, in addition to the recent DNA evidence linking Boyd to the crime, relied on "significant evidence" available since 1992, including Boyd's proximity to Nikki's family, a prior conviction in 1986, a fitting description by an eyewitness, and a false alibi.

The CWJ emphasizes that basic detective work pertaining to Boyd's movements in 1992 would have uncovered evidence contradicting his false alibi.

Evidence also revealed Boyd's familiarity with the derelict building where Nikki's body was discovered, having taken another child there days earlier for a benign purpose.

Ms. Wistrich expressed, "Sharon and her daughters have endured immense suffering due to historical police lapses. Having persisted in her quest for justice for Nikki, she now seeks answers and a comprehensive inquiry into Northumbria Police's historical shortcomings."

In response, Northumbria Police asserted that it would be inappropriate to comment on any potential legal action, acknowledging the receipt of correspondence indicating the intent to initiate legal proceedings.