Four appear in court charged with murder of Manchester man
Four people have appeared in court accused of murdering a Manchester man at a seaside resort. Police were called to Carshalton Road in Blackpool at 1am on Monday July 11 following reports of an assault.
Mark Gibson was found with serious stab wounds in the street. The 52-year-old was taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital but later died.
Shaun Neil, 42, Stephen Pugh, 40, and Stephanie Steele, 38, appeared at Preston Crown Court today (Friday July 14). Tina Walton, 43, is also charged with Mr Gibson's murder but did not attend court as she is suffering from Covid.
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Judge Simon Medland QC set a trial date for January 30, 2023. The trial is expected to take three to four weeks.
Mr Neil, of Boothroyden, Blackpool; Mr Pugh, of Chapel Street, Blackpool; Ms Steele, of Gorton Street, Blackpool and Ms Walton, of Boothroyden, Blackpool, made no application for bail during the hearing at Preston Crown Court today. They were remanded in custody and will return to court on October 10 2022 when they will enter their pleas of guilty or not guilty to the charges they face.
A fifth defendant, Aaron Chadwick, 33, of Warley Road, Blackpool, has also been charged with Mr Gibson's murder. He appeared at Blackpool Magistrates' Court this morning (July 14) and will make his first appearance at the Crown Court on Monday July 18.
Judge Medland QC said it was regrettable an earlier trial date could not be set but said they must work with what is possible, and not what they would like to do.
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