A crime that shocked Newcastle

It was a crime that was as shocking as it was brutal.

It is five years since loving family man and successful lawyer Peter Duncan was killed by unknown teenager Ewan Ireland in Newcastle's busy Eldon Square shopping centre. Without provocation and without much warning, Ireland stabbed Peter in the heart with a stolen screwdriver.

The fact that an innocent father could be murdered without provocation in front of shoppers sparked fear and shock across Tyneside. Ireland, who was just 17 at the time of the attack, was eventually sentenced to life imprisonment after pleading guilty to Peter's murder on August 14, 2019.

Today, five years later, we look back on one of the darkest days in our city.

And Newcastle City Council Deputy Leader Karen Kilgour reported on the work being done behind the scenes to continue to make Newcastle city centre safer.

She said: “This was a tragic incident and I would like to offer my condolences to Peter's family at this difficult time. While these occasional shocking crimes can stay in people's minds, thankfully Newcastle has fewer cases of serious youth violence compared to other major cities in the UK.

“In 2021, we approved plans to invest almost £300,000 in a range of measures, including deploying uniformed stewards to increase the security presence in the city centre, upgrading CCTV infrastructure at key strategic locations and improving street lighting in Old Eldon Square.

“We have also introduced the City Safe project, which sees Northumbria Police, Newcastle City Council and NE1 Business Improvement District working together to prevent crime, reduce anti-social behaviour and provide improved access to support services for vulnerable people in the city centre.

“The team is made up of police officers and council teams who provide an enforcement role, NE1 Street Rangers who work with businesses and the public to identify key issues, and targeted deterrence staff who work with young people in the city.

“We continue to work closely with partners in the city to implement plans that keep people safe and ensure Newcastle remains the welcoming city it is known for.”

Peter died shortly after 6pm as he was making his way home from work. The 52-year-old, from the Cochrane Park area of ​​Newcastle, was on his way to catch a bus when he collided with Ireland, who was travelling with other teenagers, near the entrance to the shopping centre at Old Eldon Square.

When Peter accidentally collided with the teenager in the busy entrance to the shopping centre, it sparked a strong reaction in Ireland.

Newcastle Crown Court heard that Peter tried to defend himself by grabbing Ireland to restrain him. However, Ireland, of West Avenue, Westerhope, Newcastle, produced a screwdriver and plunged it into Peter's heart. The father collapsed from his injuries and despite desperate efforts, nothing could be done to save his life.

Ireland pleaded guilty to murder and was later sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 15 years.

After his 18th birthday, ChronicleLive revealed that the brutal killer was once a promising young footballer who played at Newcastle United's academy before his off-field behaviour ended his sporting career. ChronicleLive has learned that he was expelled from the Walbottle Campus school where he was a pupil.

And when he killed Peter, he was being investigated for knife robbery and he already had 31 previous convictions.

It was revealed in court that Ireland had stolen the murder weapon from the nearby Poundland store shortly before the attack, and the teenager had been waiting to confront another young person with whom he had argued over cigarettes.

As Peter lay dying, Ireland ran from the scene. He threw the screwdriver into a rubbish bin at the bottom of Stowell Street. A security camera had tracked him there and the police searched the bin and found the gun, still covered in blood.