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Man accused of widow's murder not giving evidence

Harriet Heywood & Brian Farmer
BBC News, Cambridgeshire
Reporting fromCambridge Crown Court
SWNS David Newton is smiling at the camera in an image from 2016. He is bald, has some stubble and wears thin framed glasses. He is wearing a navy jumper, with a grey top underneath and has an earring in his left ear. He is stood inside a room that has been papered with rust colour wallpaper that has red diamond shaped patterns. There is a white door behind him to his left and a green plant. SWNS
David Newton was charged with Una Crown's murder in 2024 - more than a decade after she died

Lawyers representing a man accused of murdering an 86-year-old widow 12 years ago will not call any evidence in his defence, jurors have been told.

Retired postmistress Una Crown was found dead at her bungalow in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, on 13 January 2013, a trial at Cambridge Crown Court has heard.

David Newton, 70, who denies murder, lived near Mrs Crown and was charged in 2024.

Henry Grunwald KC, who is leading Mr Newton's legal team, told jurors he was calling "no evidence" on behalf of the defence.

Cambridgeshire Police/PA Media Una Crown is smiling at the camera while sitting on a chair against a light beige wall. There is a window just above her. She is wearing a pink patterned dress with a long pearl necklace and shiny earrings. She has short curly hair which is mixed with shades of light brown and grey. Cambridgeshire Police/PA Media
Una Crown was found dead in the hallway of her bungalow in Wisbech

The trial, which began in mid-January, has heard that Mrs Crown's body was found in the hallway of her home in Magazine Lane in the Fenland town.

Police also found evidence that fires had been started.

Prosecutors alleged that Mr Newton, of Magazine Close in Wisbech, started them after murdering Mrs Crown.

Witnesses called by prosecution lawyers finished giving evidence last week.

A snow-covered bungalow in Wisbech, where Una Crown lived. There is police tape across the drive and police officers on guard outside the tape and walking up to the house.
Una Crown lived in bungalow in Wisbech

Mr Grunwald indicated that Mr Newton would not give evidence.

"I call no evidence on behalf for the defence," Mr Grunwald told the jury on Monday.

"No other witnesses," he added.

Jurors are expected to hear more legal arguments from prosecution lawyers and the defence later in the week before retiring to consider a verdict.

An acting police sergeant who initially investigated believed Mrs Crown had died accidentally, jurors have heard.

But a post-mortem examination two days later showed she had been stabbed four times and her throat cut.

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