Sunderland mum's new plea to serial killer Steven Grieveson

Sharon Henderson has penned a ‘direct and straight to the point’ letter to Steven Grieveson - who is behind bars in Yorkshire’s Full Sutton Prison for the murders of four Wearside young boys.

Sharon, from Ryhope, believes he may be able to shed information after her daughter - seven-year-old Nikki Allan - vanished after leaving her grandparents’ flat in Wear Garth, in Sunderland’s East End on October 7, 1992.

Nikki’s body was found in the derelict Exchange building, a few hundred yards away, the next day - she had been stabbed to death.

In February 2014 Northumbria Police arrested Grieveson, 47, of Sunderland, on suspicion of Nikki’s murder. He was questioned and bailed but detectives later said his bail had been cancelled and he faced no further current action.

Sharon said: “It’s the second time I’ve send him a letter, I sent the first when he was questioned and bailed.

“This time though I have been far more direct and straight to the point.

“I know he received my last letter but he didn’t answer. But you never know, he might decide to respond this time.

“It’s not too long, but it asks the questions I need to know.”

Sharon’s letter reads: “I write this with great pain in my heart.

“So I will get straight to the point...Did you murder my daughter Nikki Allan...Steven John Grieveson...on the night of 7th October 1992...or do you know of anyone involved in Nikki’s murder?

“My daughter Nikki needs to rest in peace.

“If you did murder Nikki, please come forward.

“All I have left to say to you is I beg you to come forward if you murdered my child.”

Grieveson is serving four life sentences for the murders of Thomas Kelly, 18, David Hanson and David Grieff, both 15, in 1993 and 1994, and of Simon Martin, 14, in 1990.

Sharon says she will continue to send letters to Grievson.

She said: “I just think there’s a lot of similarities between Nikki’s case and some of the murders of the boys.

“If he hasn’t done it, then he might just know something that police could use to catch the real killer.

“I have to keep doing this, i need answers.”

Sharon says she will never rest until Nikki’s killer has been caught.

She said: “Since such a long time has passed, it’s getting frustrating because many of the original officers are now retiring - but I won’t give up.

“The case is still open but I am hoping they will launch a re-investigation one day soon.”

In 1993, George Heron, 24 at the time, was acquitted of Nikki’s murder by a jury at Leeds Crown Court.

Mr Justice Mitchell refused to allow certain tape recordings of Northumbria Police interviews with Mr Heron, who said he was innocent of the crime, to be put before the jury. Consequently, the jury did not hear his alleged admission on one recording that he killed Nikki.

The judge ruled that the evidence was inadmissible and criticised the police for ‘oppressive questioning’ and of misrepresenting evidence, charges the force denied.