New trial date fixed for woman accused of murdering baby 'Callum' found in woodland near Gulliver's World

The trial of a woman charged with the murder of a baby found in woodland in Warrington 26 years ago has been postponed by two months.

Joanne Sharkey, 54, of Denham Close, Croxteth, Liverpool, has denied both the murder of baby Callum and concealing his birth. The infant was named Callum after the Callands district of Warrington where he was found, as his true identity could not then be confirmed.

Sharkey has pleaded not guilty to murdering the baby between 1 January 1998 and March 14, 1998 and endeavouring to conceal the birth of the child between March 1 and March 14, 1998.

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The body of the baby was discovered close to the Gulliver’s World theme park in Warrington in March 1998.

The defendant’s trial, expected to last four weeks, had been fixed to begin on January 14 but for administrative reasons it has now been put back to March 3.

Sharkey, who was not present at Liverpool Crown Court today, is on conditional bail.

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