Nine people accused of involvement in a knife murder in Leamington will stand trial at a new ‘super-court’

Eight men and a woman accused of involvement in a knife murder in a residential street in Leamington last year are to stand trial at a new ‘super-court’ – in Loughborough.

Six of the nine defendants pleaded not guilty at Warwick Crown Court to the murder of 34-year-old Carl Moorhouse in May last year.

The charge follows an incident in Lower Leam Street, Leamington, at its junction with Leam Terrace, at around 10.30pm on May 28.

The police were called, and when officers arrived they found Mr Moorhouse, from Coventry, suffering from a stab wound to his chest, and carried out CPR until an ambulance arrived.

Mr Moorhouse, who had recently become a father for the first time, was rushed to hospital, but despite efforts to save him, he died at shortly after midnight.

Two of the defendants who entered pleas during the hearing, Adam Padley (27) of Melis Grove, Witton, Birmingham, and Reuben Nall (27) of Rookery Road, Handsworth, Birmingham, also denied aggravated burglary at a flat in Willes Road, Leamington.

In addition to denying the murder charge, they and Emma Bennet (40) of Wyken Court, Coventry; Jamani Cunningham (25) of Copthall Road, Sandwell; Tau Randall (34) of St Peters Road, Handsworth; and Javarnty Scott (23) of Osborne Road, Handsworth; pleaded not guilty to conspiring to inflict grievous bodily harm.

Also in the dock was Darnelle Sappleton (23) of Farm Street, Lozells, Birmingham, whose case was adjourned at the request of his barrister Kevin Hegarty QC for a psychiatric report to be prepared on him.

Two other men, Callum Huburn (30) of Yardley Road, Acocks Green, Birmingham, and Terry Nall (30) of Regents Road, Hansworth, for different reasons, were not brought from the jails where they are on remand.

Both face the murder and conspiracy to inflict grievous bodily harm charges, with Terry Nall also accused of aggravated burglary – and are expected to plead not guilty when their cases are re-listed.

Because of restrictions on numbers of defendants in the dock as a result of the Covid pandemic, it was not going to be possible for all nine defendants to stand trial together at either Warwick or Coventry crown courts.

Judge Andrew Lockhart QC indicated: “I sought this trial to be moved to a place where they could be tried together within the custody time limits.

“I have achieved a slot at the new major court centre to be opened at Loughborough.”

That court centre is to be opened specifically to deal with large multi-handed trials from throughout the country.

Judge Lockhart said the trial of the nine defendants was due to be heard there in front of Mr Justice Jeremy Baker, the Presiding Judge for the Midlands court circuit.

The trial, which an earlier hearing was told is expected to last up to 16 weeks, is to begin on November 8 and to continue into next year.

And adjourning the case until the trial, Judge Lockhart remanded all the defendants in custody.