Monster, 70, snared by widow’s bloody fingernails 12...

A MONSTER snared by a widow's bloody fingernails 12 years after he murdered her at home has been jailed for life. David Newton spun an evil web of lies to evade justice after knifing 86-year-old Una Crown in the neck and chest. The 70-year-old even set retired postmistress on fire in a gruesome bid to cover his tracks. Newton almost got away with the 2013 slaughter after police initially believed Una had died in a tragic accident.

Image Credit: The Sun [Photo of Una Crown.]

But after a post mortem two years later revealed the widow had been killed, a murder probe was launched. Officers discovered DNA under her fingernails that could only belong to Newton. He has now been jailed for life with a minimum of 21 years after yesterday being found guilty of murder. The horror unfolded on January 13, 2013, when Una was discovered in a pool of blood by family members at her bungalow in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire.

Image Credit: The Sun [Mugshot of David Newton, convicted of murder.]

She was last seen alive two days before the grisly discovery when she went shopping. Una had also spoken to a friend on the phone the day before she was found. Police initially believed she died from a heart attack when she accidentally set herself alight when trying to extinguish a fire from a faulty hob ring. Officers also concluded marks on Una's neck were caused by the pressure from a scarf as her body hit the floor.

Image Credit: The Sun [Photo of four dissected tissue samples.]

As a result, police waited two days to secure the crime scene - meaning crucial evidence could have been lost. But thanks to advances in technology, Una's fingernails provided the clues needed to snare Newton. The retired kitchen fitter had been seen drunkenly walking from the direction of Una's home at about 8.30pm on January 13. He was interviewed but denied any involvement and claimed he only knew the victim "in passing".

Image Credit: The Sun [A blue and white kitchen stovetop with a blue kettle and kitchen utensils.]

However, police discovered Newton had actually helped fix the pensioner's back door at one point - suggesting he knew her more than he was letting on. Jobless Newton relied solely on handouts to live but on the night of the murder, he was seen "spending freely" on fruit machines at a club. This tallied with money being taken from Una's purse - but no real motive has ever been given for the horrific murder.

Image Credit: The Sun [Portrait of a smiling woman in a green cardigan.]

The 2015 post mortem showed she had suffered cuts to her throat and was knifed four times with a "long-bladed" instrument. One wound went through both sides of her chest - passing "through both lungs and the heart". Speaking after the verdict, Una's niece, Julia Green, said: "In 2013 we heard our Auntie Una had passed away. Two days later we heard it was murder and our worlds stopped. “An elderly widow watching her favourite TV programme, feeling warm and safe in her own home. The attack was brutal, horrific and an assault on a defenceless frail elderly widow.

Image Credit: The Sun [Photo of Una Crown and her late husband Jack.]

"The verdict today has prevented him from causing further distress and misery to others. "Since her untimely and savage death, three close family relatives, including her brother, have sadly passed away not knowing her killer has been brought to justice. “We’d like to thank all who have helped get us to this point today and we can now carry on with our lives knowing justice has been done.”. Cambridge Police have apologised to Una's family for "mistakes made during the initial investigation".