On 20th February 2014, Grieveson was also arrested on Suspicion of the murder of 7 year old Nikki Allen in 1992.

Click this for full profile on Nikki Allan

Admin note: Steven John Grieveson (born 1970) is an English serial killer who was convicted on 28 February 1996 of the murders of three teenage boys in the city of Sunderland, Tyne and Wear from 1993 to 1994. 

It was ascertained at his trial that Grieveson murdered the boys in order to conceal his homosexuality. He was subsequently ordered to serve at least 35 years for the three murders.

In October 2013, Grieveson was found guilty of a 4th murder; a 14 year old boy

October 2013

Serial Killer guilty of Sunderland schoolboys murder

Steven Grieveson pictured in early 90’s

A NOTORIOUS child killer, known as the Sunderland Strangler, has been convicted of murder and faces his fourth life sentence.

The serial killer murdered David Hanson, 15, Thomas Kelly, 18, and David Grieff, 15, during a four month killing spree in Sunderland between 1993 and 1994.

He denied he was the killer, who strangled his victims before setting their bodies alight, but was convicted by a jury and given three life sentences after a trial in 1996.

He has since admitted he killed all three.

The 42-year-old has now been convicted after a trial at Newcastle Crown Court of the murder of 14-year-old Simon Martin in 1990, whose body was found in a derelict house in the city a week after he went missing in May that year.

Former fairground worker and kitchen assistant Grieveson confessed to detectives last year the schoolboy was the first of his victims, but denied murder on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

After an hour’s deliberation a jury of five women and seven men found him guilty of murder.

The court heard during the trial Grieveson had claimed all four deaths were “accidents”, which happened while he was threatening his victims to keep quiet about him being bisexual.

But during the case it was revealed the killer had allegedly confessed to a woman visitor “the need to kill took him over”.

Grieveson, who was flanked by five guards throughout the trial, showed no emotion as the horrors of what he had done were revealed before the jury.

He did not give evidence from the witness box during the trial but called expert evidence to claim he had a severe abnormality of mind which impaired his responsibility for killing Simon.

Professor Derek Perkins told the court during the trial Grieveson has “psychopathic traits” to his personality which, mixed with vulnerabilities which makes for a “dangerous combination”.

The professor said: “His lack of emotion, callousness, lack of remorse are elements that would have contributed to his ability to kill, more than once.”

Grieving members of Grieveson’s victims’ families staged a daily vigil in the public gallery to hear what had happened during their sons’ final moments.

Grieveson told police after performing a sex act with Simon he killed him on a mattress in a room at Gilside House in Roker.

The killer , who first got in trouble with the police at aged 11 and had clocked up over 60 convictions before he was jailed for life, said during his confession last year: “After it was finished I got scared and I started shouting at him not to tell anyone.

“I just flipped, I flipped, just flipped for a minute I did then I started strangling him then, I don’t know, I didn’t let go.

Steven Grieveson pictured in an old police custody photo

“The next thing he was on the bed and I got scared and I think there was a rock or something and I smashed his head.”

Grieveson had kept quiet when questioned by investigators in the past.

He even kept his silence when a former schoolmate, Alvin White, was charged with Simon’s murder, although the case was eventually dropped against the innocent teen.

But during the confession he made at a Leeds police station last year Grieveson said the words many had been desperate the hear.

He said: “I needed to tell the police. It was haunting me for 20 years.

“It drove me crazy and I needed to give the family peace of mind and peace of mind for myself as well.

“I can’t move forward unless this has been said.”

Grieveson, formerly of Roker Avenue in the city, refused to discuss the details surrounding the deaths of the other three teenagers he strangled.

But the boys’ families broke down in floods of tears when letters were read to the courtroom where Grieveson begged for their forgiveness and offered to answer any questions they had.

Grieveson had burnt the three boys bodies in a bid to cover his tracks during the murder spree between November 1993 and February 1994.

He had strangled each of the victims using ligatures.

Steven Grieveson, pictured playing football over 2 decades ago

February 2013

Simon Martin death: Steven Grieveson admits killing

A man has admitted killing a Sunderland schoolboy more than two decades ago.

Steven Grieveson is accused of the murder of 14-year-old Simon Martin between 17 May and 27 May, 1990.

Appearing via videolink at Newcastle Crown Court, the 42-year-old denied his murder but admitted via his legal team that he was responsible for the death.

He was remanded in custody and a trial to determine whether he is guilty of murder or manslaughter will take place in June.

The teenager’s semi-naked body was found in a derelict house in Roker in 1990.

December 2012 – A man has appeared in court charged with the murder of a Sunderland schoolboy who was found dead more than 20 years ago.

Steven Grieveson, who was 20 at the time, is accused of killing teenager Simon Martin in May 1990.

The 14-year-old’s body was found in a derelict building close to the seafront. Magistrates remanded Mr Grieveson, 42, in custody. He will appear at Newcastle Crown Court on Thursday.

Steven John Grieveson (born 1970) is an English serial killer who was convicted on 28 February 1996 of the murders of three teenage boys in the city of Sunderland, Tyne and Wear from 1993 to 1994. 

It was ascertained at his trial that Grieveson murdered the boys in order to conceal his homosexuality. He was subsequently ordered to serve at least 35 years for the three murders.

Murders and trial

On 26 November 1993 Grieveson murdered 18-year-old Thomas Kelly in an abandoned allotment shed in Fulwell, Sunderland. On 4 February 1994 he murdered 15-year-old David Hanson in Roker Terrace, the bodies were found suffocated and partially-burned, before finally murdering 15-year-old David Grieff on 25 February 1994 near Fulwell in Sunderland, Davids body was discovered in a disused guest house less than two miles away. Cans of lighter fuel and glue were found beside the bodies.

The ­allotment where the body of one of Steven Grieveson’s three teenage ­victims was found.

Thomas Kelly had been strangled with his own scarf in an allotment hut; David Hanson with a scrap of material from an unoccupied basement; and David Grieff with his own belt in an allotment shed close to the scene of the Kelly murder.

At the scene of the David Hanson murder, Mr Grieveson’s fingerprint was found on a basement window, and on boarding torn down to force entry, police also found a footprint which matched the sole of Mr Grieveson’s training shoe. A DNA profile taken from semen found in David Grieff’s mouth and stomach matched Mr Grieveson’s DNA.

Following an extensive investigation, Grieveson was arrested for the murders on 11 March 1994 and faced a six-week trial in 1996 where he was handed three life sentences for murder. He was ordered to serve a minimum of 35 years in prison.

Other possible murders

In November 2000, Steven Grieveson, serving his three life sentences at Full Sutton Prison, was arrested and questioned over the murder of 14-year-old Simon Martin, who was murdered in Gilside House Roker, in 1990.

In June 2004, Grieveson wrote a letter to the Victim Liaison Services admitting murdering his three victims, but did not admit to the murder of Simon Martin and was not charged with the murder.