THE MAN accused of murdering Annan man Paul Taylor and attempting to murder a second man has appeared before a judge at Carlisle Crown Court. 

Jack Crawley, 20, of Sheehan Crescent, Carlisle, denies both allegations.

A second Carlisle man, 20-year-old Marcus Goodfellow, denies "assisting an offender," the alleged murderer, by helping to dispose of a car.

During a short hearing at the city’s crown court, when Crawley appeared via a video link and Goodfellow in person, barristers for both the prosecution and the defence discussed various legal aspects of the prosecution.

The trial is scheduled to get underway in October.

At today's hearing, Crawley also formally entered a not guilty plea to an additional charge that he intentionally attempted to wound and cause grievous bodily harm to the man he is accused of attempting to murder.

That charge, said prosecuting barrister William Beardmore, is an alternative allegation to the attempted murder charge. According to the wording of the most serious charge faced by Crawley, he is accused of murdering Mr Taylor on October 18 last year.

The attempted murder is alleged to have happened on January 5.

The single charge faced by Goodfellow, of Greystone Road, Carlisle, alleges that he helped Crawley to dispose of a Vauxhall Corsa car “between October 17 and October 20, 2023.”

Specifically, the charge alleges that he “arranged transport away from incriminating evidence, with intent to impede the apprehension or prosecution of a person who had committed the offence of murder, knowing or believing the said person to be guilty of the offence or some other offence.”

During the hearing, the court also heard that Crown Prosecution Service lawyers expect to provide a post mortem report about the cause of Mr Taylor’s death on June 7.

A final report on the post mortem results is not expected until August 7.

This follows police confirmation that human remains which were found at Finglandrigg Wood near Carlisle, off the B5307, on May 2, were those of Mr Taylor.

Detectives brought the murder charge following a lengthy investigation which began after Mr Taylor went missing on October 17 last year. At the time, he was aged 56.

Judge Nicholas Barker adjourned the case for a pre-trial review at the crown court on June 26, stipulating that Crawley must appear before the court in person. The murder trial has been scheduled to begin on October 1.

It will be presided over by The Honourable Mr Justice Goose KC.

As the hearing at the crown court concluded, Judge Barker remanded Crawley in custody until the hearing next month, while Goodfellow was granted bail.