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Nikki Allan trial: Witness saw girl with man on night of killing Nikki Allan trial: Witness heard screams on night of killing
(about 1 hour later)
The court heard a witness saw Nikki walking with an older manThe court heard a witness saw Nikki walking with an older man
A young girl was seen walking with a man on the night more than 30 years ago seven-year-old Nikki Allan was killed in Sunderland, a court heard. Screams were heard coming from a derelict building where seven-year-old Nikki Allan was found dead more than 30 years ago, a court was told.
Margaret Hodgson spotted the pair, who she thought were father and daughter, as she sat in a car waiting for her mother, Newcastle Crown Court was told. Nikki's body was found with 37 stab wounds in the derelict Old Exchange building, Sunderland, in October 1992.
Nikki's body was found with 37 stab wounds in the derelict Old Exchange building in October 1992. Carol Osborne who lived in a flat overlooking nearby High Street East heard "quite a powerful scream", Newcastle Crown Court heard.
David Boyd, 55, of Chesterton Court, Stockton-on-Tees, denies murder.David Boyd, 55, of Chesterton Court, Stockton-on-Tees, denies murder.
In a written statement, Ms Hodgson described seeing a man walking with a "very small girl." In a written statement, the court was told Ms Osbourne was reading when she "heard the sound of someone screaming" which she described as hearing "coming from the other side of High Street East".
'Nothing appeared untoward' 'Breaking wood'
She was with her niece Claire MacBeth in the car outside the factory who asked her to check the time, the court was told. She said the noise only "lasted a couple of seconds " and she carried on reading her book, the jury heard.
She said: "It was exactly 9 minutes to 10. My attention was drawn to a man walking with a very small young girl. But a "couple of minutes later" she heard a scream "coming from the same direction. It sounded as if the scream was made by the same person - a girl."
"They were walking together but not hand in hand. At intervals the little girl would drop behind and then skip to catch up. In another written statement, the jury heard from Patricia Irwin, who on the same evening had finished her shift at a fish factory and was walking to a bus stop with workmates when she heard the "sound of breaking wood".
She said when her group reached the main front door of the derelict building she heard "the sound of either a cat wailing or a howling wind coming from the inside of the building itself".
The sound had "unnerved" her, Ms Irwin said.
Earlier, the jury heard how on the the night Nikki disappeared another witness saw a young girl walking with a man.
'Nothing untoward'
In a written statement, Margaret Hodgson thought the pair were father and daughter, when she spotted them as she sat in a car waiting for her mother.
"They were walking together but not hand in hand. At intervals the little girl would drop behind and then skip to catch up," she said.
"They appeared to be father and daughter. Nothing appeared untoward"."They appeared to be father and daughter. Nothing appeared untoward".
Ms Hodgson said the man was aged between 27 and 28 and about 5ft 8ins tall, with "dark coloured hair in a skinhead starting to grow out".Ms Hodgson said the man was aged between 27 and 28 and about 5ft 8ins tall, with "dark coloured hair in a skinhead starting to grow out".
The jury has previously been shown CCTV footage the prosecution says shows Nikki and her killer and features and adult walking in front of a child.The jury has previously been shown CCTV footage the prosecution says shows Nikki and her killer and features and adult walking in front of a child.
Ms Hodgson said she later helped a police produce two images of the man she saw.
The trial continues.The trial continues.
Follow BBC North East & Cumbria on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk.Follow BBC North East & Cumbria on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk.
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