Man and teenager accused of 83-year-old's murder appear in court
Ipswich Crown Court
A 28-year-old man and 16-year-old boy have appeared in court accused of murdering an 83-year-old man at his home near Colchester.
Leighton Snook, of no fixed address, and the teenager, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, appeared at Ipswich Crown Court on Monday afternoon after first appearing at Colchester Magistrates' Court the same morning.
Both are charged with murdering Donald 'Don' Ralph, who was found dead at his home in Halstead Road, Aldham, on December 29.
A house remains cordoned off by police on Halstead Road in Aldham - Credit: Sonya Duncan
Both also face a charge of theft of a motor vehicle, while Snook faces a further charge of possession of an offensive weapon.
A post-mortem examination found Mr Ralph had died from strangulation.
Judge Martyn Levett set a date for a three to four-week trial to begin on June 1.
There was no application for bail and the defendants were remanded in custody.
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A plea hearing will take place on March 23.
A further pre-trial hearing will take place on May 4.
Two men, aged 30 and 39, and a 21-year-old woman, arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender, have been released on police bail.
