24/10/2013 Look North (North East and Cumbria)

Monday. That is all from the BBC's

Hello and welcome to Thursday's Look North. In the headlines tonight:

Convicted of murdering his fourth victim. Serial killer Steven

Grieveson will spend at least 35 years in jail. He will spend the

rest of his days behind bars. No family should have to suffer the

heartache we have had to endure. But mistakes by the police and the

pathologist after the first killing meant Grieveson could kill again `

three times. We need to place it in the context of 1990.

In other news, there are accidental death verdicts on the two girls who

drowned in the River Wear. And the Newcastle United fan who

punched a police horse after the last Tyne`Wear derby is jailed for

12 months. In sport ` Middlesbrough's caretaker

boss tells us about an emotional roller`coaster since the sacking of

club legend Tony Mowbray. And as we count down to the

Wear`Tyne derby, two former captains take to the golf course in search of

bragging rights. He murdered three teenage boys in

the early 1990s and now he's been convicted of killing a fourth.

Steven Grieveson killed Thomas Kelly, David Hanson and David Grieff

in a four`month killing spree in the winter of 1993/94. But his previous

murder, of 14`year`old Simon Martin in 1990, had gone undetected. We've

a special report on the extraordinary background to that

shortly. But today, a jury took less than an

hour to find Grieveson guilty and he'll serve a minimum of 35 years in

prison. Our Chief Reporter, Chris Stewart, has been in court.

Yes ` Grieveson admitted the killing but wanted the jury to believe he

wasn't guilty of murder because his mental condition prevents him from

self`restraint ` but the jury decided that wasn't the case.

It's taken 23 years for full justice for the families of all four of his

victims. Those families have behaved with dignity throughout. Simon's

family have never spoken about their son's death. Today, they did, for

the very first time. Today is the end of a long journey

for us which will finally give us closer. I would like to thank the

police and all those who have worked on this case to get the decision

today. It has been traumatic and life changing experience. Now he

will spend the rest of his days behind bars. No other family should

have to suffer the heartache we have suffered.

23 years is a long time to wait for justice. And today, the families

praised the police for never giving up. But the way this final chapter

was finally closed is a story in itself. Because the original

investigation into Simon's murder wasn't what it should have been.

The people who have lived here know that Stephen Grierson killed for ``

four. If the investigation had not been so

flawed with the three other than is be alive today?

Simon Martin was 14. He had been led to this derelict house. Stephen

Grierson committed a sexual assault on him and then throttled him.

Police say it so far there has been a pure response...

The investigation was about to encounter its first error. A

pathologist feels too noticed strangulation marks on the neck of

the victim. He also said the victim had died within 48 hours of the body

being discovered, when in fact he had lain dead for one week. But

police would waste time and resources. A trawl through newspaper

files of the time reveals something else. That police had failed to spot

what the killing was all about. They said there was no sign of a sexual

assault. The had missed a huge Clune.

`` they had missed a clue. This is perhaps the most baffling

part of the story. When this known liar told them he had never been

inside the house they seem to have taken him at his word. Instead the

police would arrest a 16`year`old whose fingerprints were found at the

house. The killer remained at large. Three years later, the more

killings. `` the more killings. All were found in roughly the same

area with ligatures tied around their necks. Obviously a serial

killer bash knocked to the police. `` obviously a serial killer, but

not in the opinion of the police. Your children were telling you that

this was not the case with these boys. You were telling the police

that you did not believe that this was the case. I had no evidence to

suggest that these boys were involved in drugs. Do you think the

police stating this in public hampered their investigation to stop

them finding the truth? Reflection it probably did. If you have your

mind made up that this has happened, it is self`inflicted, why

bother looking for anybody else rest and Mark by now the parents of one

of the dead boys were seeing this was not boost the thing, this was

murder. And then Detective Chief Superintendent Darren Shenton

investigation on its head. He was called in to review the case and

asked a simple question. `` the detective Kate Chief Superintendent

turned their case on its head. The new pathologist asked to look at

all for killings. He found one of the victims had been strangled.

There were fingerprint marks on the neck. Material had been pressed hard

on the net. `` on the neck. Directly beneath the body of the victim was a

sample which contained the DNA of the killer. It was sent for analysis

in 2000, but the killer was still not charged.

But police say the question of whether the three elastic DIMMs

would still be alive is impossible to answer.

The police investigation in 1990, when Simon Martin was killed, was

clearly flawed. What have the police in 2013 had to say?

Well, they'd already apologised to the families of the three boys they

said had been solvent abusers ` something that simply wasn't true.

And although all the officers involved in the latest investigation

had nothing to do with the first one, Northumbria Police have, to

their credit, taken on what we've discovered ` and did give us

answers. It is not an exact science. In

relation to the marks on the neck, having read those reports, yes that

was missed. However they were light marks. In 1995 when those marks were

known, even then the CPS did not think there was enough evidence.

Maybe with the benefit of hindsight I would accept what you were saying,

but at that time there was a sighting. They were unknown to each

other. `` they were known to each other. And we had the pathologist

report emphasising more towards the 26th then the 18th.

The evidence that was collated in the review, all that was in the file

of evidence that led to the CPS. This CPS made the decision there was

not sufficient evidence to charge. We are never going to know that. The

way we investigate homicides has changed dramatically, and for the

better. That is supported with significant developments in

forensics work. We now have CCTV evidence, mobile phone evidence,

which has changed the way we investigate. We need to place it in

the context of 1990, and not judge it with the standards of 2013.

The families of two of the victims had written letters that they had

hoped to pass to the Keller, that's the killer refused to appear. One of

the letters says, we will never forgive you for the fair and pain

you are infected. Another C says out of the emotions, forgiveness for you

is not one of them. `` another letter says.

Although Grieveson will technically be able to apply for parole when

he's 78, he's such a danger that it's likely he'll die behind bars.

Three men and a teenager from Middlesbrough have been accused of

being involved in the grooming and sexual exploitation of young girls.

The seven girls ` aged between 13 and 15 ` were said to have been

befriended by the men, with one offering free taxi rides. Stuart

Whincup reports from Teesside Crown Court. The court heard the young

girls were vulnerable and were groomed and passed around, in some

cases, from man to man. An inquest has been told of the

frantic efforts made to save two teenage girls who drowned in the

River Wear. Three of the accused all deny

sexually exploiting the girls. The trial is expected to last for four

weeks. An inquest has been told of the

frantic efforts made to save two teenage girls who drowned in the

River Wear. Tonibeth Purvis, who was 15, tried to save her 14`year`old

friend Chloe Fowler as she was swimming at Fatfield, near

Washington last July. But both were overwhelmed by fast`flowing water. A

coroner today recorded verdicts of accidental death for both girls.

Richard Moss reports. The inquest was told the two girls

were with five friends when Chloe and another girl went into the

river. Within