Teen to face murder trial over death of Lindsay
ATEENAGER accused of killing teaching assistant Lindsay Birbeck in a random attack will face trial next February.
The 16-year-old youth, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, is charged with the murder of the 47-year-old mother-of-two,
whose body was found in Accrington Cemetery. The teenager, from Accrington, appeared at Preston Crown Court via video-link from custody on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, more tributes have been paid to Lindsay (pictured right) across the Hyndburn community, with a number of memorials being held.
16-YEAR-OLD boy accused of killing teaching assistant Lindsay Birbeck in a random attack will face trial next February.
The youth, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, is charged with the murder of 47-year-old mother-of-two, whose body was found in Accrington Cemetery.
The teenager, from Accrington, appeared at Preston Crown Court via video-link from custody on Tuesday, September 3, for a 20-minute preliminary hearing.
He spoke only to confirm his identity, his date of birth and his nationality.
No plea was entered and no application for bail was made.
The boy will next appear at Preston Crown Court for a plea and trial preparation hearing on December 13.
A trial date of February 25 was fixed for the same court and is expected to last two weeks.
Members of the youth’s family sat in the front row of the public gallery during the brief hearing, while relatives of Mrs Birbeck sat at the back.
Mrs Birbeck went missing from her home in Huncoat on Monday August 12, and her disappearance prompted wideranging searches by hundreds of members of the community.
Her body was found in Accrington Cemetery on Tuesday. August 24, and a murder inquiry was launched.
A post-mortem examination showed she died as a result of compression of the neck.