Rikki Neave murder trial: Ex council chief says 'shadow has been lifted from Welland estate after Rikki Neave guilty verdict'

The former leader of Peterborough City Council has said a shadow has been lifted from Welland estate following the guilty verdict in the Rikki Neave murder trial.

Six year old Rikki was strangled to death by James Watson in Welland in 1994 – but his murder remained unsolved until last week, when Watson was convicted of murder. He will be sentenced next month.

Former leader of Peterborough City Council John Holdich was chairman of a committee looking into social services following the murder, and he said it was a relief the case had finally been solved.

Mr Holdich, who retired from his role as a councillor last year, said; “It is a relief. I hope it will now stop everyone saying Welland estate is ‘where Rikki Neave was killed’ every time it is mentioned.

"It is a relief for the Neave family, for Welland and for Peterborough. It feels like a shadow has been lifted.”

‘Scathing’ report on social services following murder

A report into social services and their involvement in the case was ‘scathing’ causing a difficult time for Mr Holdich.

He said: “I was made chairman of the Cambridgeshire County Council Social Services Committee in the run up to the report, which was quite scathing on social services.

"We were given 43 things that needed to be improved, and a timetable to do it.

"I was spat at and had things thrown at me. It was a difficult time.

"But now we are a good authority. I think I laid the groundwork for that.

"I don’t believe any social worker would deliberately leave a child in danger.

‘I didn’t think we would ever get an answer on what happened to Rikki’

Mr Holdich said he was impressed by the work police had done on the case.

The new evidence that came out that was crucial to bringing Watson to justice included new techniques.

Using forensic techniques that were not available during the original investigation in 1994, Watson's DNA was found on tape used to take samples from Rikki's clothing.

Watson was spoken to at the time of the initial investigation as a witness, where he claimed he saw Rikki briefly, but for no more than a few seconds and described no physical contact between them.

However, When interviewed following his arrest in 2016 Watson changed his account of the meeting with Rikki, claiming he had lifted him up so he could see over a fence to watch a digger at work.

Mr Holdich said: “I didn’t think we would ever get an answer on what happened to Rikki.

"But here we are, 30 years later, and we have the answers that the Neave family especially were waiting for.

"It is amazing how much has changed, and what the police can do with DNA evidence now.

"It is a relief we have had the verdict, and we can move on after he (Watson) has been sentenced.

"We can’t keep raking over it again and again.

"We have spent a lot of time and money in Welland, modernising it, and I hope for the Neaves and for Welland there is now closure.”