Mair appears before Old Bailey ‘terror judge’ on murder charge

THE MAN accused of murdering MP Jo Cox was remanded in custody yesterday after appearing before a senior judge at the Old Bailey under the “terrorism protocol”.

Thomas Mair, 52, from Birstall, is charged with mur- der, grievous bodily harm, possession of a firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence and possession of an offensive weapon.

He is accused of shooting and stabbing 41-year-old Mrs Cox outside her constituency surgery in Birstall, near Leeds, last Thursday.

A grey-bearded Mair made his first crown court appearance via video link from the maximum security Belmarsh prison, wearing beige trousers and a white long-sleeved T-shirt.

During the brief hearing he spoke only to confirm his name – unlike his first appearance on Saturday at Westminster Magistrates Court, when he declared his name to be “Death to traitors, freedom for Britain.” There was no application for bail and Mair was remanded in custody to appear again on Thursday.

Cases under the terrorism protocol are managed by senior judges who usually sit at the Old Bailey. It is expect- ed that Mr Justice Saunders will set a timetable for Mair’s case on Thursday.

Yesterday afternoon, Bernard Carter-Kenny, the 77-year-old man who was badly injured attempting to save Mrs Cox during her murder, returned home after spending four nights in hospital. Arriving back at his bungalow in Birstall, less than a mile from where he attempted to save his local MP, Mr Kenny was escorted into his home by police officers.

Speaking outside the house, an officer said the family would not be giving interviews for the foreseeable future.