Man quizzed over 1992 murder of Nikki, 7
A MAN has been arrested on suspicion of the murder of seven-year-old schoolgirl Nikki Allan 25 years ago, which was never solved.
Nikki was stabbed 37 times and her body found in a pool of blood in a derelict building in Sunderland in October 1992, after she had gone missing from her grandparents’ home nearby.
A man in his 50s was detained on Tuesday during a raid on a flat in the Stockton area of Teesside but was back home yesterday morning.
A Northumbria Police spokesman said: “A man was arrested on suspicion of murdering schoolgirl Nikki Allan. He has been released under investigation. Enquiries are ongoing.”
Neighbours said the man was single and has a Durham or Wearside accent.
The suspect, who moved into the upstairs flat eight months ago, told neighbours the police operation was in relation to an armed robbery in Newcastle several years ago.
A neighbour said: “He lives on his own and is into body building. He doesn’t work. He’s very big and muscular. He came back today and seemed his normal self, put his music on and opened his windows.” Nikki’s mum Sharon Henderson, 51, said: “It’s been a very emotional time. When police told me they had arrested someone for Nikki’s murder it was such a shock I almost collapsed. Now he’s been released I don’t know what to think.”
Neighbours saw officers turn up at the house near Stockton town centre at around 8am.
Forensics officers were there for around eight hours and removed several bags of items.
Detectives said in October that they had made a DNA breakthrough in the case.