‘Child killer’ James Watson fled UK after his arrest on suspicion of murdering Rikki Neave, aged six
‘Child killer’ James Watson fled the country after he was arrested on suspicion of murdering six-year-old Rikki Neave, court hears
Watson, 40, ended up homeless on streets of Portugal after fleeing UK in 2016He is on trial at London’s Old Bailey accused of strangling boy in November 1994Watson was arrested after a new investigation found his DNA on Rikki’s clothing
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Alleged child killer James Watson tried to flee to Thailand following his arrest on suspicion of murdering a six-year-old boy, a court heard today.
The 40-year-old is on trial at the Old Bailey in central London, accused of strangling little Rikki Neaves in a Peterborough wood in November 1994 – when he was aged 13 – before stripping and posing his body in a ‘star shape’.
The court heard today how following his arrest in April 2016, Watson absconded with a friend to Europe who had promised to take him to Thailand.
But his plans to reach the Far East soon collapsed, emails to his probation officer show, in which he declared: ‘I’m in a world of s**t’, as he begged to be flown home after ending up homeless and wandering the streets of Portugal.
Watson became the prime suspect after sophisticated technology found a ‘definitive match’ between his DNA profile and samples taken from Rikki’s clothing as part of a new investigation into the case.
James Watson, who would have been 13 at the time, is now 40 and standing trial at the Old Bailey in London charged with six-year-old Rikki Neave’s murder, which he denies
Junior prosecutor Nathan Rasiah told jurors on Friday: ‘The police issued a press release that a man had been arrested in connection with the investigation, but in accordance with the usual protocol did not identify the man that they had arrested.’
After a final interview on April 20, Watson was released from police custody on bail, with the condition that he had to reside at an address in Northampton with an 11pm curfew, jurors heard.
‘On June 27, 2016, in breach of his licence and bail conditions, Mr Watson failed to return to the approved premises in Northampton by 11pm,’ Mr Rasiah said.
‘As a result of that breach, on June 28, 2016 his licence was revoked and he was recalled to prison, entitling a police officer to arrest him on sight and then to return him to prison.
‘At 18.21 on July 14, 2016, Mr Watson contacted his probation officer by email.
‘It said: “For now the only way is through my email, my phone is out the window but I can log on and pick up my mail. I want to return to the UK.”‘
Rikki Neave, six, was strangled and posed naked in a star shape in woods near his home in Peterborough back in 1994
The next day, July 15, Watson’s probation officer replied: ‘Whereabouts are you?
‘How can we support you getting back to the UK?’
Watson wrote back: ‘Katy I am in a world of s**t, I left with that Collin (corr) under the assumption that he was going to Thailand and I could see a bit of Europe for a few days.
‘It never turned out like that. Now I am homeless and living on the streets in Europe.
‘I stayed in a room with some people I met but that was not long term now I don’t know what my next plan should be?
‘I want to make it back for this bail, and I know I will be in trouble for my….. licence but it’s done now, just picking up the pieces the best I can.
‘I don’t know how you can help me or if you can, I just need to keep in touch with you, this will all be relevant in the future.’
The probation officer referred the matter to the police, the court heard.
This led officer DS Gan Thayanithy to send an email to Watson at 5.16pm that day.
He said: ‘James, I hope you understand why Katy has contacted me – realistically it is the only way we can get you home.
‘I am sorry that you are in a bad situation, but I am sure that with a bit of work we can sort it out.
‘The immediate problem we have is that it is a Friday, and nothing can happen now until Monday.
‘It is very important that you keep yourself safe until then.
‘Northants Police have contacted the British authorities in Portugal on your behalf.
‘I believe this is where you are, but please advise me if I am wrong.
Watson (right), in the dock at the Old Bailey, charged with the murder of Rikki who was found strangled in woodland 25 years ago, when the defendant was 13
‘Because you don’t have a passport, you will need to go to the British Consulate so they can help you.’
On July 29 a European Arrest Warrant was issued requesting Watson’s extradition for breaching the terms of his licence.
On August 2, Watson was arrested in Lisbon at the Consulate building and he was flown home on August 12.
The prosecution have now closed its case and Watson is due to give evidence on Monday.
It comes after the court heard on Wednesday how eighteen months before Rikki’s death, on April 14 1993, Watson was accused of touching the genitals of a five-year-old boy in his bedroom, when he was aged 12.
The younger boy’s mother reported the incident to the police, jurors heard.
Prosecutor John Price, QC, said: ‘She reported that [her son] had told her that James Watson had ”touched his penis and rubbed it up and down”.’
On April 19, 1993, Watson was interviewed at Thorpewood police station in Peterborough.
Mr Price said: ‘James Watson denied touching [the five-year-old] but said he had told [him] to ”shake his penis after going to the toilet”.
Jurors heard that Watson admitted touching the five-year-old’s genitals in a police interview on April 2016 20, 23 years after the incident.
Watson had been arrested on suspicion of Rikki’s murder.
Officers began by asking if he had a ‘sexual liking’ for younger boys when he himself was young.
A map showing the distance between Rikki’s home and the wood where his body was found
‘No,’ he replied. ‘I’m just making no comment because I’m just digging myself into a hole.’
Police then made reference to the allegation of sexual assault of the five-year-old and Watson said he remembered it.
Asked to speak about it, he replied: ‘I don’t want to, I’ve been spoken to about it.’
DC Nigel Ebdale asked: ‘Did that happen the way it’s been described?’
‘Mhm, yeah,’ Watson replied.
‘So you have touched [the five-year-old’s] penis?’ the detective probed.
Watson responds: ‘I did yeah…I told you I don’t want to talk about it. We was just two boys playing with each other’s penises it is as simple as that.’
Watson was reminded that he denied the allegation in 1993.
‘What you’re saying now is actually it did happen the way I just described,’ DC Ebdale continued.
‘Mhm,’ Watson responded.
‘If you had a liking for young children, is that why it happened?’ the investigator asked, to which he replied: ‘No.’
Jurors then heard more detail about the alleged sexual assault.
Recounting the mother’s account, Mr Price said: ‘She stated that while she had been getting [her son] ready for bed he had pulled back his foreskin and moved it up and down.
‘She asked him what he was doing and he replied that ”James did it to him”.
‘He also told her that James had asked him to touch his [James’], penis and James had liked it.
‘James had told him not to tell anyone. [She] stated that [her son’s] penis was ”red” and he told her it hurt when he went for a wee.’
Jurors heard the mother took her son to be examined by a doctor.
‘There was a slight abrasion and a sore area on the penis when the foreskin was pulled back,’ Mr Price said.
‘In the opinion of [the doctor] this was consistent with the foreskin having been forced back.
‘He could not say whether it was caused by another person.’
Watson, of no fixed address, denies murdering Rikki between November 28 and 29, 1994.
The trial continues.
