Overview
- Channel 4 aired a two-part 24 Hours in Police Custody special on Monday and Tuesday, retracing the cold-case work that linked local handyman David Newton to the 2013 killing of Una Crown.
- Scientists extracted DNA from Crown’s preserved fingernail clippings, and detectives then eliminated men in Newton’s paternal line to firm up the match.
- Officers first labeled the death non‑suspicious, so the home was not sealed and key traces were disturbed, with relatives allowed back in and a paramedic’s touch moving blood onto a light switch.
- A jury found Newton guilty in February 2025, and the judge gave life with a 21‑year minimum after finding he used a copied back‑door key and stole £80 following the attack.
- The documentary includes custody footage of Newton boasting about the nickname “The Shovel”, and it shows how modern DNA methods can unlock long‑stalled investigations.