David Ian Newcastle was born in Haxby, Yorkshire on September 17, 1966. His father Geoffrey was an accountant, his mother May a homemaker, and they had no other children. The family moved to London in 1974 and remained there until recently. Newcastle was an exceptional student who got top marks in history and mathematics. He also was a standout at football, and at one point had a tryout with the Tranmere Rovers (Fourth Division) squad. School records indicate that he was not well liked, and one of his teachers indicated that he was given a rough time by other students because of his accent, which he made every attempt to cover up. There was no evidence of disciplinary problems, however, or any other red flags.