Rikki Neave had 'zip-shaped marking' on neck after being strangled with his own anorak, court told

Six-year-old Rikki Neave was found with a zip-shaped mark around his neck after he was strangled by his own anorak, a court has heard.

The schoolboy was killed in a “swiftly executed” attack from behind in woods near his Peterborough home in November 1994, before being stripped naked and deliberately posed in a star shape, the Old Bailey was told.

His clothes were later discovered dumped in a wheelie bin nearby.

More than 20 years later, James Watson, who was aged 13 at the time, was charged with murdering Rikki after his DNA was allegedly identified on the trousers.

On Thursday, jurors in his trial were shown pictures of Rikki’s clothes, before the original pathologist in the case gave evidence.

Describing the crime scene, Dr Nat Cary told jurors: “I entered an area of scrubland adjacent to the road. There I was shown the body of a completely naked young male lying on his back with his arms and legs symmetrically spread-eagled.

“There was a mark clearly visible on the neck. There was petechial haemorrhage to the eyes and the face.”

He said rigor mortis had set in and Rikki had mud on his face, abdomen, knees and feet. There were some scars to the body and minor bruises and grazes to the head, he added.

There was a ligature mark on the neck in a “repetitive linear” pattern, possibly from a zip fastener, he said. The court heard he had made the observation before seeing Rikki’s jacket.

Dr Cary suggested Rikki was strangled by grabbing his clothes in a “twisting action” from behind.

He said it was a “swiftly executed” single attack and the six-year-old was placed in the position in which he was found soon after death.

After seeing the jacket, Dr Cary said he was “more certain” it was used to strangle him, but added his finding was not absolute.

The court has heard that Rikki’s mother, Ruth Neave, was initially wrongly accused of his murder, and acquitted after a trial.

The DNA evidence against Watson emerged in 2015 after a cold case review was launched, the jury has heard.

Watson, 40 and of no fixed address, has denied murder and the trial continues.