David Boyd, 55, of Chesterton Court, Stockton-on-Tees, has been accused of killing nine-year-old Nikki Allan in Sunderland’s Old Exchange building in October 1992.

The court has heard that Mr Boyd had a previous conviction for indecent assault, and a probation officer stated that he confessed his “sexual” attraction to young girls. According to Prosecutor Richard Wright KC, Mr Boyd had approached two girls, aged 12 and nine, in Primrose Hill Park in Stockton in April 1999 and groped the youngest between the legs before running away.

Mr Boyd was identified at an ID parade and convicted of indecent assault, telling a doctor he had been “drunk, depressed and acted upon impulse” when he assaulted the girl. A probation officer’s report prepared ahead of sentencing in March 2000 said that Mr Boyd had a “phase” when he was aged about 22 where he “began to fantasise about both adults and children, in particular, young girls”.

The report said that he would think about having “sexual intercourse” with young girls but it was “something he grew out of”.

The court has heard that Mr Boyd was a neighbour of Nikki’s family and knew the girl, and DNA matching his was found on her clothes.

The trial has been ongoing, and the court has heard that there was no evidence Nikki was sexually assaulted before or after she was killed in the Old Exchange building. When the investigation was relaunched by Northumbria Police in 2017, officers took DNA samples from 829 men identified as having connections to Nikki, the Wear Garth flat block, Old Exchange building, and the general Hendon area.

Only Mr Boyd’s DNA profile matched that found on Nikki’s T-shirts and leggings, according to Det Insp Chris Deavin.

The court has heard that Mr Boyd denies murder, and Judge Mrs Justice Christina Lambert has warned jurors not to put too much weight on Boyd’s previous convictions.

The trial continues.