Finally justice for Nikki Allan – and hopefully for her family too

One of the most poignant aspects of the case was seeing the profound impact of the murder and ignorance on Nikki’s family. Suicide attempts, addictions and mental breakdowns ensued – through no fault of her own, her life was torn apart by the events of October 1992.

READ THE FULL STORY: BOYD IN HARBOR FOR AT LEAST 30 YEARS

But when the police gave up, Nikki’s mother, Sharon Henderson, heroically found the strength to conduct her own investigation, and that, in part, led to Boyd’s conviction.

Also dragged into this appalling suffering was George Heron, whom Northumbrian Police dragged before a court only for the case to fail due to their techniques. However, Mr. Heron was evicted from his home and lived under a cloud of distrust for many years.

As we condemn the police’s handling of the case in 1992, we must also acknowledge investigators’ determination over the past five years to bring justice to Nikki and to overcome the blunders of the past. Police have apologized for these blunders and we hope the Home Secretary will look beyond her personal difficulties and see how much could be gained from an investigation into this original investigation.

Above all, we hope that the sentencing brings some relief and closure to Nikki’s family and Mr. Heron. They don’t deserve to be haunted by the events of 30 years ago forever and without ever forgetting Nikki, we hope they find a way to move on.