Jealous father Neil Crampton stabbed family

Nov 18 2008 by Hilary Clixby, The Journal

A KILLER massacred four of his own family after setting out “to destroy what he knew he could never possess”, a murder trial jury heard.

Jealous Neil Crampton could not face losing ex-partner Olufunke Sobo when she refused to resume their relationship, Newcastle Crown Court was told.

And after calling at the family’s home in Hawthorn Gardens, Kenton, Newcastle, he stabbed and slashed Ms Sobo, their children Abigail and Steven and her brother Yemi Sobo to death.

Crampton, 36, later rang police, confessing to the operator: “I have murdered my entire family,” said Paul Sloan QC, prosecuting on the first day of the trial.

The four victims had all been living with Ms Sobo’s mother Omotunde Sobo, who returned from a holiday in her native Nigeria to learn of the horror.

Armed police were waiting to arrest Crampton when he arrived back in the street where his parents lived in Huntley Crescent, Winlaton, Gateshead.

He initially told police that though he recalled stabbing Funke and Yemi with a knife, he could not remember how the two children had died. But later he admitted he had killed Abigail and Steven in the same way as Funke and Yemi.

When it was suggested by officers that Funke’s refusal to take him back was another failure in his life and he could not hack it, Crampton replied: “I couldn’t hack the fact, no. She was a beautiful woman, I was losing her like you said.”

He said he did not know why he had gone on to kill his children.

Crampton admits killing all four victims intentionally, but denies murder on grounds of diminished responsibility. Mr Sloan said: “It is accepted by the prosecution that the defendant was a very jealous and possessive individual and that he also suffered periods of depression. Say the prosecution, his jealousy was simply a character trait and did not constitute an abnormality of mind.

“On the night of November 13th, 2006, faced with a final rejection and the imminent return of Omotunde Sobo – who would inevitably seek to reinforce her daughter’s resolve – this defendant, who was perfectly capable of exercising willpower and controlling his emotions, let his temper get the better of him and set out to destroy what he knew he could never possess.”

The court heard Crampton had wanted his relationship with Funke to continue even when he told her he had formed a relationship with a Thailand prostitute.

Mr Sloan said when Crampton returned from a three-month trip abroad in September 2006 he resumed contact with Funke, a shop worker at the time of her death. He said relations between Omotunde Sobo and Crampton were not good and “on the one hand, Omotunde Sobo did not approve of the defendant and on the other, the defendant felt that Omotunde Sobo was interfering and had come between himself and Funke”.

He said Crampton continued to visit Funke at Hawthorn Gardens after Omotunde went on holiday in Nigeria in October 2006. Crampton and Funke had sex together while her mother was away – something Funke had regretted and made it plain the relationship was over.

“His hopes will inevitably have been raised, only to be dashed again,” he said. “He told her that he hated her and that she had ruined his life.”

On the day of the killings Crampton had driven to the house in his parents’ car, seen outside about 5.20pm.

“Some time between 10.30pm and midnight, neighbours heard loud thumping or banging sounds coming from the house,” Mr Sloan said. “Shouting and screaming could also be heard over a prolonged period, including the words, ‘No, no’. Then there was silence.

“The following day at 8.46am, the 999 call was made by the defendant. By that time, as well as having stabbed his four victims to death, he had also harmed himself. He had certainly cut himself and made some sort of attempt to hang himself.”