NEIL CRAMPTON'S HORRIFIC MURDER SPREE IN GATESHEAD AND GOSFORTH LEAVES FAMILY DEVASTATED

In a chilling act of violence that shocked the communities of Gateshead and Gosforth, Neil Crampton, aged 36, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 35 years after being convicted of four counts of murder. The tragic events unfolded in November 2008, culminating in a brutal massacre that claimed the lives of his own family members and left a trail of heartbreak and horror.

Neil Crampton, who resided on Huntley Crescent in Winlaton, Gateshead, carried out the murders in a fit of jealous rage. The victims included his 12-year-old daughter Abigail Crampton, her five-year-old brother Steven, their mother Olufunke Sobo, aged 36, and her brother Yemi, aged 41. The court heard that Crampton’s actions were driven by intense possessiveness and an inability to accept the end of his on-off relationship with Ms Sobo, also known as Funke or Liz.

The tragic incident occurred on the night before Ms Sobo’s mother, Omotunde Sobo, known as Tunde, was due to return from a holiday in Nigeria. It is believed that the timing of the attack was no coincidence, as Crampton’s realization that reconciliation was unlikely may have triggered his violent outburst. The family lived together in a semi-detached house on Hawthorn Gardens, Gosforth, where the horror unfolded.

Police were alerted after Crampton made a distressing 999 call, during which he confessed, “I’ve murdered my entire family.” Following this, he fled the scene, prompting a manhunt that ended hours later outside his parents’ home. Fortunately, Bill and Ann Crampton, his parents, were unharmed and unaware of the tragedy until police arrived. They were later found safe and well, shopping for Christmas presents for their grandchildren.

On November 13, Crampton returned to Ms Sobo’s residence. Neighbors reported hearing screams shortly before midnight. It was during this violent episode that Crampton attacked his ex-partner with a knife, and when her brother Yemi attempted to intervene, he was also assaulted. Yemi Sobo, who suffered from sickle cell anemia, was staying with his mother while his own flat in Gosforth was being refurbished.

After stabbing Ms Sobo and her brother, Crampton proceeded upstairs where he murdered his daughter Abigail, who tried to defend herself, and then killed Steven, who was asleep at the time. Following the killings, Crampton made several attempts to take his own life before he was finally apprehended by armed police officers. The court heard that he had written the number 666 on his arm the day before the murders, though he never provided a clear explanation for his actions or why he did not spare his children after slaughtering the adults.

Throughout the trial, the prosecution highlighted the brutality of the murders and the devastating impact on the victims’ families. Crampton’s sentencing reflects the severity of his crimes, which have left a community in mourning and a family shattered by unimaginable loss.