The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Rikki’s stepfather gives evidence from ‘beyond the grave’
Trial of James Watson accused of murdering Peterborough schoolboy in 1994 hears statement from stepfather made before
‘She was always shouting and screaming at the children and was regularly hitting them with her hand. I thought a lot of it was unnecessary...’
The late stepfather of murdered Peterborough schoolboy Rikki Neave described the youngster’s turbulent home life in evidence to court from ‘beyond the grave’.
Dean Neave was not living with Rikki’s mother Ruth at the time he went missing in Peterborough on November 28, 1994.
The little boy was found strangled and posed naked in a star shape in woods near his home, the Old Bailey has heard.
Ms Neave was later cleared of his murder but jailed for seven years for child cruelty, which she had admitted, jurors have heard.
More than 20 years later, DNA belonging to 13-year-old James Watson was found on Rikki’s clothes which were dumped in a wheelie bin.
On Thursday, jurors in Watson’s murder trial heard evidence from Ms Neave’s late ex-husband, who died in a car crash in 1999. Prosecutor, John Price QC, read out a statement Mr Neave made to police in December 1994.
In it, Mr Neave described how the couple had shared an interest in “black magic”.
He said: “Both Ruth and me were fascinated. However I have not bothered for about five years.
“Ruth is still interested in tarot cards and ouija boards.”
Mr Neave was jailed for two-and-a-half years but in 1991 he called her from prison and she visited him, jurors heard.
They got married but Mr Neave said he “suspected that she was seeing other men” and applied for an annulment.
Upon his release, he moved in with Ms Neave for about three weeks, jurors heard.
He said: “I left because of the way Ruth used to treat the children. She was always shouting and screaming at the children and was regularly hitting them with her hand. I thought a lot of it was unnecessary and I could not stand it so I moved out.”
He said Ms Neave lost her temper with her older children, Rebecca and Rikki, the most.
“Rikki was more mischievous although he always did what I asked him to do,” he said.
Mr Neave said he always got on well with his three stepchildren and would visit regularly to see his own baby daughter.
But he said: “Nearly every time I visited I would end up having a row with Ruth.”
Both he and Ms Neave took amphetamines, he added: “I would say she is addicted.
“Her moods are seriously affected by her drugs and withdrawal.”
On one occasion, he noticed Rikki had an injury which Ms Neave said he got from falling off a bunk, the
Dean Neave (In a statement made before his death in 1999)
court heard.
Mr Neave said he visited Ms Neave the day before Rikki went missing and learned of his death from the news on November 30, 1994.
He concluded by saying: “At present, I am in the process of divorcing my wife Marie and hopefully I’m trying to get back with my former wife Ruth.”
Mrs Justice McGowan told jurors: “In respect of this witness, if he was still alive the defence would have wanted to cross-examine him and ask him some questions.”
Earlier, Watson’s former teacher described how he made copies of a front page story about Rikki’s death.
David Benjamin, who was head of house at Walton school in Peterborough, said Watson did not attend on November 28, 1994, the day Rikki disappeared.
On November 30 1994, he returned for his first full day in school “for ages”, the witness said.
That afternoon, he allegedly went out to get the Peterborough Telegraph featuring Rikki on the front page.
Watson then showed him one of six copies of the front page he had made, saying they were to display in the children’s home where he was staying in nearby March, Cambridgeshire, jurors heard.
Mr Price asked: “Were further copies of the document made by James?”
Mr Benjamin replied: “Yes. 25 of them.”
Watson allegedly went on to tell his teacher: “This is my mate’s brother and I knew him.”
On Monday, the mother of the man accused of murdering schoolboy Rikki Neave was accused in court of “covering up” for him.
James Watson was 13 when he allegedly strangled six-year-old Rikki and left his naked body in woods near the Welland estate in Peterborough on November 28 1994.
After the boy’s death, Watson told police he visited his mother that day at the home she shared with her new partner in the town.
At the time, Shirley Watson – now Shirley Cliffe – denied it and also told police of a radio report he claimed to have heard about the death of a twoyear-old child three days before the murder.
In her statement in 1995, Ms Cliffe said: “I have been asked to explain a comment I made to my partner’s daughter Melanie Giddings on November 27, 1994.
“Two days prior to this, I had a conversation by phone with my son James Watson…
“James told me that a baby had been found over the dyke near Welland.
“He wanted me to say if what he had heard was true.
“I told him that I had not heard this before and knew nothing of what was said.”
Giving evidence at the Old Bailey on Monday, Ms Cliffe was asked to confirm her statement.
She repeatedly told jurors that it was not true.
Prosecutor John Price QC said: “Have you ever discussed the case with your son?” Ms Cliffe said she had. The prosecutor said: “Have you discussed the phone conversation about the two-yearold baby that was found near the dyke?”
Ms Watson replied: “Not that I can think of.”
Mr Price asked: “Have you, Ms Cliffe, come to realise the significance of the fact of this conversation taking place as it did before Rikki Neave died?
“Has it been explained to you by your son? Are you lying to protect your son?”
Ms Cliffe said: “No, I am not.”
Mr Price pressed: “Have you been asked to lie for your son?”
Ms Cliffe raised her voice as she replied: “No, I have not, 100 per cent.”
She also denied telling police Watson did not visit her house on the day Rikki went missing, contrary to what he had told police.
Mr Price asserted: “You are covering up for your son, are you not?” Ms Cliffe said: “No, I am not.”
Cross-examining, Jennifer Dempster QC suggested that Ms Cliffe had got “confused” in her original statement.
Ms Cliffe, who was working as a cleaner in 1994, tearfully agreed.
Jurors have been told Watson was sighted with Rikki by residents on the Welland estate on the morning of November 28, 1994, when both children should have been at school.
Following a cold case review, Watson’s DNA was found on Rikki’s clothes which were dumped in a bin near the woods, jurors have heard.
Watson, now 40, has denied murder.
The trial continues.
‘Have you, Ms Cliffe, come to realise the significance of the fact of this conversation taking place as it did before Rikki Neave died?’
Prosecutor (Questioning mother of defendant)