Killer who shot dealer dead in back of the head jailed for life 26 years after he was first cleared of execution-style murder

A KILLER was yesterday jailed for the execution-style murder he was cleared of carrying out 26 years ago.

Andrew Everson, now 54, walked free for quarter-of-a-century after getting away with killing dad-of-two David Watkins in 1993 by claiming he had been with a friend.

In 2014 forensic advances proved fibres lifted from the victim’s clothes came from the killer’s Peugeot on the night he was killed.

Scientists also traced gun residue from the bullet to the car – a link they had not been able to prove during the original 1993 investigation.

The court of appeal last year ruled Everson, or ‘Drew’, should face a jury again following changes in double jeopardy rules.

He was accused of luring petty cannabis dealer Mr Watkins to a remote spot with thousands of pounds – killing him because he wanted the money but had no drugs to sell.

NEW EVIDENCE

Reading Crown Court heard Everson’s alibi crumbled when he was presented with the new scientific proof and his story “completely changed”.

On Wednesday, a jury convicted the gunman of shooting Mr Watkins in the head at close range as the victim knelt at a roadside.

Jailing builder Everson for life yesterday, Mr Justice Nicol blasted: “You have been convicted of the murder of David Watkins on January 14 1993.

“That is more than 26 years ago. You finally now face the consequences of that crime.”

The judge added: “David came to that clearing in Pingewood on his own. Drew, he thought, was ‘alright’. He was wrong.

“He was expecting to buy cannabis and had about £6,000 in his rucksack for that purpose. He thought you had cannabis to sell. That was a mistake.

“Your finances were in dire straits. You probably had no cannabis. But you did want David’s money. And you did have a shotgun.

“David’s glasses were removed. His eyesight was poor. He was made to kneel on the ground.

“In those final moments he must have known what was about to happen and been terrified, his mental suffering must have been acute.

“He was shot in the back of the head with a gun which was no more than six inches away from him. It was, in other words, an execution.

“There is only one sentence for murder: it is life imprisonment and that is the sentence which I shall in a moment pass on you.”

I didn’t think we would have to wait 26 years to receive justice

Susan Wardle (David's partner)

During the trial John Price QC, prosecuting, said: “There was close matching between populations of fibres found on the clothing of David Watkins with populations of the fibres found in the Peugeot which could not, in his view, realistically be explained other than on the basis that David Watkins must have been in that car only hours before his death.”

Alan Blake, prosecuting, yesterday read a victim impact statement from Susan Wardle, Mr Watkins’ partner and the mum of his two sons, who were under three when he died.

It said: “I didn’t think we would have to wait 26 years to receive justice.

“It was a shock when the police knocked on my door in 2015 to tell me that Everson had been re-arrested and charged with David’s murder.

“I was delighted that David had not been forgotten. However, there followed three long years until the case got to court.

“The re-trial was like opening Pandora’s Box, we had to relieve the very worst period of our lives for a second time, but this time my sons were old enough to understand the harrowing details.

“Everson has robbed me of growing old with the man I loved. He has robbed my children of their father.

“But in spite of everything, our family has stayed strong, and my David’s legacy lives on through my boys, who have grown up to be amazing men.

“Murder creates more victims than the person who is killed, it changes lives and devastates families.”

The court heard Everson had a history of 118 previous robbery, burglary and firearms offences, many committed after his original acquittal, in 1994.

As he was sentenced, the killer shouted from the dock: “I didn’t kill him, all I did was sell him some f***ing puff.”