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Killer 'The Shovel' jailed after 12-year manhunt
14 Apr
Summary
- Newton, nicknamed 'The Shovel', murdered Una Crown in 2013.
- DNA from nail clippings finally led to his arrest 12 years later.
- He boasted about his nickname while in police custody.
Former boxer David Newton, 71, has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Una Crown, 86, whom he killed in January 2013. Newton, who was nicknamed 'The Shovel,' evaded justice for 12 years until a DNA breakthrough on Mrs. Crown's nail clippings in 2024 provided the crucial evidence. The victim was found with her throat cut and stab wounds in her bungalow in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, with Newton having attempted to burn her clothing to destroy evidence.
Initially, police treated the incident as non-suspicious, leading to a delay in preserving the scene. However, advanced forensic techniques in 2024 revealed male DNA under Mrs. Crown's nails, which matched Newton. He was subsequently charged and found guilty of murder by a majority verdict at Cambridge Crown Court in February 2025, receiving a minimum sentence of 21 years. During his time in police custody, Newton was captured on film boasting about his nickname.
