Sick prank in unsolved double slaying riddle
‘MEMORIAL’ PLAQUE IS PLACED AT SEASIDE BEAUTY SPOT
A TWISTED prank has brought fresh anguish to the families of two unsolved murder victims.
An ornate memorial plaque placed at a beauty spot suggests slain David ‘Noddy’ Rice was responsible for the murder of Kevin Nightingale.
The two fathers were killed in separate shootings in South Shields 10 years apart – both remain unsolved.
The plaque, which appears to have been professionally made, was discovered at the weekend and claims Noddy killed Kevin.
It read: “In memory of Kevin Nightingale, murdered by Noddy Rice”.
Noddy’s twin sister Shirley was told about the sign, which features a decorative cat and was securely fastened to fencing at The Leas on the seafront, by a friend on Sunday.
She called the police immediately before going to see the sick prank for herself and taking pictures.
When she later returned to the spot the plaque had vanished.
Today Shirley has told of her anger at whoever has gone to such lengths to cause further misery for two grieving families.
The 53-year-old said: “I just felt sick when I saw it because I know for a fact Noddy didn’t kill Kevin.
“I know he was on remand at the time Kevin was killed.
“It is just someone being malicious, I think it’s just a sick joke, but we have been through enough.
“This has just brought more misery to both me and Julie.”
Popular Noddy was slain with a semi-automatic handgun as he sat in a his car at South Shields’ Marsden Grotto, on May 24, 2006, in a killing that stunned Tyneside.
Prime suspect Allan Foster, who police believe was behind the fatal shots, is thought to have fled to Spain in the days immediately following the killing, and more than a decade on he remains one of the UK’s most wanted fugitives. Noddy and Foster, both from South Shields, has been friends before the fatal shooting. Dad-of-two Kevin had been killed more than 10 years earlier in February 1996. The doorman was 33 when he was gunned down outside his family home, also in South Shields, while wife Julie and their children were inside. Kevin had just finished a shift at the town’s Oz club and was dropped off at home in Drake Close by pals Ian Morgan, his wife Joanne, and Shaun Doyle. Moments later he was shot four times from behind. Julie, who had been in bed, rushed downstairs when she heard the gunshots. But there was nothing she could do to help her husband other than cradle him in her arms as he died. Initially the Morgans and Mr Doyle were spoken to by detectives as witnesses. But the trio were later charged with Kevin’s murder twice, in 2000 and 2001. But on both occasions the case was thrown out and in 2007 all three received £35,000 in damages from police for the wrongful accusations. To this day no-one has been brought to justice for the murder, and the weapon has never been found.
A Northumbria Police spokeswoman said: “Police have been made aware of a plaque being placed in The Leas area of South Shields in relation to the murder or Kevin Nightingale.
“The plaque has since been removed and officers are speaking with the family concerned.
“Enquiries are ongoing to establish where the plaque has come from and ask anyone with any information to contact police.”
But Shirley hopes it is officers who have removed it so they can carry out forensic investigations and establish who made it.
“I asked the police to take it to see if they could get anything off it but when I went back it have been taken away, but I don’t know where it is now,” she said.
“Whoever has made this must have gone to some expense.
“It’s been properly made by someone. To me it looks like it’s been professionally made.”
Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Northumbria Police on 101 quoting log number 543 20/08/17.
I just felt sick when I saw it because I know for a fact Noddy didn’t kill Kevin Shirley Rice