Murder accused Alder Willis will stand trial later this year after pleading not guilty to killing Andrew Darn.
At around 8.40am on March 27, police were called to the Tyne Tunnel Trading Estate in North Shields after concerns were raised for a man outside a premises. Emergency services attended and found Mr Darn with serious injuries consistent with having been caused by a blade.
Despite best efforts by medical staff, and brave members of the public who performed CPR until paramedics arrived, the 35-year-old, of North Shields, was confirmed dead at the scene. Now Willis, 68, of Allanville, Camperdown, North Tyneside, has appeared at Newcastle Crown Court via a video-link to HMP Durham. Balding, with a moustache and wearing an orange T-shirt, he pleaded not guilty to murder and having a bladed article and will stand trial on August 19, with a time estimate for the case of seven days.
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Judge Paul Sloan KC further remanded him in custody and told him: "I'm adjourning your case for trial. As you know, the trial date has already been fixed for the 19th of August. There will be two further pre-trial hearings before that date.
"The trial will be your opportunity to give evidence in your defence. You will be required to provide a defence statement setting out in detail your defence to these allegations.
"If, and I stress the word if, you have committed any offence or offences arising out of these allegations, the sooner you tell the court, the better for you, the more credit you will receive. The longer you leave it to tell the court if you have committed any offence, the worse it will be for you, the more severe the punishment will be."
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