Sister of man accused of killing Rikki Neave denies trying to help her brother escape

James Watson, (40), is accused of strangling the six-year-old and posing his naked body in woods in Peterborough in November 1994.

The case remained unsolved for more than 20 years until Watson’s DNA was allegedly identified on Rikki’s discarded clothes.

In April 2016, Watson was arrested on suspicion of Rikki’s murder and, after his release, went to stay in Northamptonshire, the court was told.

Three months later, he left the country with another man in a motorhome and got in touch with his sister, Clair Perna, from France.

Giving evidence on Wednesday, Ms Perna, 43, said: “He contacted me to say he was in a lot of trouble and he had made a huge mistake.”

Watson said he had “messed up” by leaving the country, she told jurors.

In a statement to police in 2016, she asserted she did “not think he (James Watson) is capable of hurting a child”.

She was unaware of an allegation in 1993 that Watson had sexually touched a five-year-old boy, she said.

On her dealings with Watson after he left the country in 2016, Nathan Rasiah, prosecuting, said: “You were trying to help James evade capture.”

Ms Pera replied: “No.”

Mr Rasiah asserted there were occasions when her half-brother Andrew took both her and Watson to visit the Neave house when Rikki lived there.

The witness replied: “Never.”

Jurors also heard from a former neighbour of the Neave family who reported a possible sighting of Rikki at around 11.50am on the day of his disappearance.

Diane Woodward told jurors she found Rikki crying on Redmile Walk and she asked him if he was OK.

Mr Rasiah referred to her statement of December 1994 in which she said only that the boy she thought “may be” Rikki had his “head down kicking stones about”.

It did not include any detail about her speaking to him.

Her second statement in 2015 introduced a claim he was wearing a red jumper – although jurors have heard it was not among his clothes later recovered from a bin.

Mr Rasiah said: “Are you quite clear that’s the clothing that the child you saw on November 28 was wearing?”

She replied: “Yep.”

Mr Rasiah said: “I’m going to suggest that you are mistaken about seeing Rikki Neave on November 28 at around 11.50am or midday.”

Mrs Woodward replied: “I do not agree.”

Watson, of no fixed address, denies Rikki’s murder. The trial at the Old Bailey continues.