Jack Royal

Jack Royal was shot at his home at 44 Laburnum Grove, Sunniside, Newcastle-upon-Tyne after someone rang the doorbell at 11.35pm and shot him when he looked through the window.

It was thought that his murder was in revenge for Jack Royal having previously killed a man in self-defence during a street fight outside a chip-shop. Jack Royal had been tried twice for the murder of David Thompson who he stabbed in 1987 but acquitted both times. David Thompson, a 29-year-old scrap dealer had been Jack Royal's 29-year-old son's former business partner. David Thompson had 17 stab wounds following the fight which started after his son fell out with him over a business venture. At the first trial the jury could not reach a verdict and he was acquitted at the second trial.