Killer James Allen's witness box grandstanding (From The Northern Echo)

Killer James Allen's witness box grandstanding

6:14pm Tuesday 20th November 2012 in News By Graeme Hetherington

NO EMOTION: James Allen on the Scarborough to Leeds Coastliner after carrying out the two killings

THROUGHOUT his trial James Allen showed a staggering disregard for the law but today it finally caught up with him when he was convicted of brutally killing two people.

Allen showed no remorse for his actions as the true devastation of his prolonged and violent assaults were read out in court.

And his angry outbursts and haranguing of witnesses, the prosecutor and the Judge, highlighted his contempt for proceedings during his three and a half week trial at Newcastle Crown Court.

The 36-year-old was sent from the dock on several occasions following one too many outbursts.

However, it was when he was giving evidence that he showed his true colours.

Allen even had the audacity to challenge the prosecutor in the case, Robert Smith, to show him some concrete evidence that he murdered Colin Dunford and he would change his plea to guilty.

During his evidence he boasted of his connections to the criminal fraternity and claimed he had served 11 years in 35 different prisons around the country.

The only pleasant thing he had to say throughout his evidence was about Mr Dunford who described as a friendly old man who would regularly lend him money.

However, he showed no emotion whatsoever when speaking about Ms Davison.

He said: “I have no empathy at all for Julie Davison, I had never met her before and I can’t remember ever speaking to her. I have no empathy for her at all. I just know she died in a horrific way.”

His grandstanding in the witness box did little to deter Mr Smith from getting under the skin of the defendant.

Allen regularly complained to the judge, Mr Justice Openshaw, that Mr Smith’s bored him and at one point threatened to throw a binder of evidence at the prosecutor if he asked one more question about his mother.

Throughout his cross-examination by Mr Smith, Allen relentlessly verbally abused the prosecutor calling him names such as a "little mug", "a divvy", "s***-face" and a "weapon".

Allen also complained that he was not getting back to prison in time to receive a hot meal and at one point refused to return to court after a note he had written was taken from him.

But his disregard for the justice system came to a staggering halt when when was convicted of the double murder.

When the jury announced its verdict Allen made no reaction whatsoever and the only sound came from the public gallery when someone simply cried: "Yes, yes".