Witness at child murder trial 'lied about accused'

A WITNESS at the trial of George Heron, who is accused of murdering seven-year-old Nikki Allan, yesterday said he had lied in court because he had been pressurised by police.

Darren Baker, the boyfriend of Mr Heron's sister, told Leeds Crown Court that Mr Heron had been out for an hour at the time Nikki was murdered.

But under cross-examination from Roger Thorn QC, for the defence, Mr Baker said this account was a lie. He said that Mr Heron had watched television with the rest of the family on the night Nikki was killed.

Mr Baker said he had been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and was kept in police cells for nearly five days. 'In the end I told them what they wanted to know because I was sick of being locked up,' he said.

Mr Heron, 24, of Wear Garth, Sunderland, denies murder. The trial continues.