Man appears in court charged with murder of retired postmistress Una Crown

A man has appeared in court charged with the murder of 86-year-old widow Una Crown, who was found dead in her bungalow in 2013.

Retired postmistress Mrs Crown was found in a pool of blood and with her clothing burnt in her hallway in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire.

David Newton, who is charged with her murder, was remanded into custody following a one-minute-long hearing at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.

The 69-year-old, of Magazine Close, Wisbech, is next due to appear for a hearing before Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday.

Mrs Crown’s death was initially treated as an accident when she was found at her home in Magazine Lane on January 13 2013 before a murder investigation was launched days later.

No details about the case were opened during Tuesday’s hearing.

Newton, who appeared in the secure dock of the court wearing black glasses and a brown jumper, was not asked to enter a plea.

Magistrates indicated that the defendant’s next appearance could be either at court in person or over a video-link.