Nearly two decades on from what was one of the most harrowing murders in this region’s recent history the fact of the matter is that no-one has ever been convicted over the death of an innocent schoolboy.

Six-year-old Rikki Neave’s body was discovered naked and spread-eagled in woodland off Eye Road, Peterborough, in 1994.

His mother Ruth Neave was convicted by a jury of child cruelty in 1996, but cleared of his murder.

Almost 20 years on she has today broken a long silence in a bid to urge Cambridgeshire Police to reopen the case and find his killer.

She said: “I am treated as a murderer and it has to stop. I want someone to takes me seriously and help me to catch those who did murder my son. I am not going away until I get justice for Rikki.”

Rikki was reported missing on November 28, 1994, sparking a huge search by police and members of the public.

He was found dead the following day just 500 yards from his home in Welland after being strangled with a ligature.

His mother, who was married to criminal and drug abuser Dean Neave at the time, was charged with Rikki’s murder six months later, but unanimously cleared of murder by a jury. She was jailed for seven years after the court heard a catalogue of allegations of child cruelty.

• We accompany Ruth Neave back to Peterborough for the first time in 20 years to where son Rikki was murdered

• Ruth Neave: ‘I am treated as a murderer and it has to stop. I am not going away until I get justice for Rikki’

• How police equated neglect and cruelty accusations with murder and charged Ruth Neave accordingly

• Mum’s plea to chief constable: Use advanced DNA techniques to help find Rikki’s killer

• Secret recordings by Ruth from the day police called to discuss her plea to re-open Rikki murder hunt• Rikki Neave murder: Editor looks at the case’s unanswered questions