Spalding man accused of murder following fire in Whaplode Drove will face new court date in Warwick

A Spalding man charged with murder following a Whaplode Drove fire will appear at Warwick Crown Court later this month.

Samuel Church, 36, of Acacia Avenue in Spalding, was charged with the murder of Vincent Markham, 52, after emergency services were called to a property in Farrow Road, at Whaplode Drove, on August 7, last year.

Emergency services were called to the property following reports of a fire at the home at about 1am.

Mr Markham died at the scene, and police said a large part of the property was destroyed in the incident.

A case management hearing at Lincoln Crown Court was today (Friday) told Church, who did not attend the hearing, will next appear at Warwick Crown Court on October 27.

He was represented by defence barristers Isobel McCarroll and Francis Fitzgibbon KC. The Crown Prosecution Service were represented by Katherine Goddard KC and David Eager.

Judge Simon Hirst adjourned the case for a further hearing to take place at Warwick Crown Court on 27 October.

Church was remanded back into custody.