SHALLOW GRAVE DEATH CHARGES
Two accused of city man’s murder
Two people have appeared in court accused of the murder of a Sunderland man who was found badly injured in a shallow grave.
Darren Bonner, 24, died in hospital, two weeks after he was found by a dog walker at a beauty spot in Creswell, Northumberland, in July.
Richard Spottiswood, 33, of Canterbury Way, Jarrow, and Lucy Burn, 29, of Burns Close, South Shields, are both accused of his murder.
They were initially facing a charge of attempted murder, before Mr Bonner died.
Spottiswood appeared at Newcastle Crown Court yesterday, via video link to HMP Durham, where he pleaded not guilty to the murder charge.
Burn appeared at the same hearing, via video link to HMP Low Newton.
She was not asked to enter a plea.
Both defendants will be back in court for a further hearing on November 14.
A trial, which is expected to last about 10 days, has been listed for January 8 next year.
Both defendants have been remanded in custody in the meantime.
The court heard Burn has submitted an application for bail, which will be heard by a judge at a later date.
Judge Paul Sloan QC told them: “I am going to adjourn your cases now.
“The adjournment is until a further case management hearing, another pre-trial hearing, which will be listed on November 14.”
After Mr Bonner’s death, tributes were left to him on social media, with many fondly remembering a friend they knew as “Zippy”.
Gav Lovell posted on Facebook: “Very saddened to hear this.
“I know this lad and he was a good lad, do owt for anyone, god bless you Darren, RIP zippy.”
Joanne Casey added: “Darren was a good lad RIP Zippy x”