It was a day that will forever be remembered in the North East.
For the past few weeks, courtroom number one at Newcastle Crown Court has heard the tragic and horrifying details of the murder of Nikki Allan.
The 1992 murder has long lingered in the minds of those in Sunderland, and the hunt for her killer dragged on for a tortuous 31 years. Many believed the monster responsible would never be caught.
Read more: Justice for Nikki Allan as monstrous murderer convicted after 31 years of torture for family
As the years passed by, birthdays and Christmases all came and went, and Nikki's family still could not find the closure they so badly needed. Her memory never fading from their minds.
But years of waiting, hours of in-depth evidence and horrific details of the seven-year-old's final moments heard during a historic trial had all come down to this one moment on a Friday afternoon. A jury of 12 people had been released to consider their verdict at midday, and those who'd been following the trial wondered how long they would take to reach the eagerly awaited decision.
But merely two-and-a-half hours later, there was an answer. Within the court, an announcement came - there was a verdict ready in courtroom number one.
Family members, barristers, police and press all hurried nervously to the courtroom - this was it. The public gallery and the press benches were both jam-packed, all were huddled together, and police had to turn away some who couldn't fit into the court. Emotions were understandably high, and there were tears from the outset in the public gallery as deep breaths were inhaled.
Within the large courtroom, the barristers remained silent, and the tension rose as Boyd was led quietly into the dock. Everyone glanced in his direction. This was the moment he'd find out his fate. In front of him, nothing but a glass screen. With a shaved head, tattooed neck and a white t-shirt, the 55-year-old sat, looking straight ahead, momentarily glancing at those in the public gallery, before quickly averting his gaze again.
Then, the knock on the door came. "Court rise", the usher announced, and all those in the court stood up and awaited the entrance of the Honourable Mrs Justice Lambert. As she sat, she urged the public gallery to allow the verdict to be given in complete silence. She asked the clerk to ask the all important question: "Has the jury reached a verdict of which all are agreed?"
"Yes", came the reply.
The jury, who had sat for weeks listening intently to the evidence, appeared to know how much this monumental verdict was going to be. As the foreman rose, they announced that Boyd was guilty of murder.
It was then that 31 years of anguish, pain and torment was released in one ecstatic moment.
The public gallery erupted in loud celebration - it was surely nothing like a courtroom had heard before - it was more akin to a football match. Cheers of "yes" and "come on" rang out as a police officer urged the gallery calm down and hurried to try and quiet them.
But no words could have quelled that moment for Nikki's family, it was too important to them - they were never going to be silenced. Not now.
As the verdict was given and the gallery celebrated, Boyd sat emotionless, refusing to look in their direction. The gallery outburst was so sudden and overwhelming, the judge ordered everyone who had been sitting in the public gallery out of the courtroom.
As they left, the family thanked the jury, tears of joy streaming down their faces as they walked out. Nikki's mother, Sharon, was hugged and kissed by family as she quietly and respectfully walked out of the court, shedding silent tears of relief. Her bravery was clear.
Since her tragic death, Nikki's devastated family have continued to mourn her loss, but they never gave up the fight in the search for her killer. As the years rolled by, that hope never faded, and the case was subsequently reopened by Northumbria Police, eventually leading to Boyd's arrest at his Teesside home in 2018.
Despite the celebrations, Nikki's family still has many unanswered questions regarding the police investigation, but for now, her killer has been taken off the streets.
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