Man jailed for life for murdering Rikki Neave wins right to appeal against his ... trends now
A man in his 40s given a life sentence for murdering schoolboy Rikki Neave nearly 30 years ago has begun an appeal bid at the Court of Appeal in London.
The six-year-old was found strangled, naked and arranged in a 'star pose' in woods near his home in Peterborough, the day after he was reported missing by his abusive mother Ruth Neave on November 28, 1994.
Neave went on trial for his murder in 1996, but she was found not guilty. However she was sentenced to seven years in prison after admitting child cruelty.
Last year, James Watson, who was 13 when Rikki died and is now 41, was jailed for the crime by a judge at the Old Bailey after damning new evidence came to light.
However lawyers representing Watson have now won a right to appeal against his conviction arguing that the case was 'circumstantial'.
James Watson was jailed for life last year for murdering Rikki Neave, six, in 1994. His lawyers have now won the right to appeal his conviction
Six-year-old Rikki Neave was found strangled, naked and arranged in a 'star pose' in woods near his home in Peterborough on November 28, 1994
At the Court of Appeal hearing in London today, Lord Burnett, the Lord Chief Justice, Mr Justice Goose and Mr Justice Bennathan considered Watson's application.
Watson was not at the hearing. Lord Burnett told Watson's lawyers: 'We will be granting leave to appeal.'
He said lawyers representing Watson had 'arguable' grounds for mounting a full appeal. Appeal judges did not fix a date for the full appeal.
Court of Appeal judges have made an order, under the Contempt of Court Act, limiting what can be reported from Wednesday's hearing.
They said no detail of the grounds on which leave to appeal had been given could be revealed in media reports - in case reporting prejudiced any retrial.
They indicated that arguments about what detail could be reported would be considered by judges overseeing the full appeal.
Barrister Jenni Dempster KC, who led James Watson's legal team, had said the case against her client was 'circumstantial'.
The murder case around Rikki Neave was unsolved for nearly two
