Elland man accused of murdering mum-of-two Levi Ogden in Halifax appears at crown court

Lloyd Birkby was charged with murdering the 26-year-old last November after she died following an incident during a night out in Halifax town centre.

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It was expected that Birkby, of Langdale Street, Elland, would be asked to enter his plea to the murder allegation during the hearing at Bradford Crown Court today, but prosecutor Dafydd Enoch QC indicated that they were still waiting for a report from a neuro-pathologist.

Mr Enoch said a new “realistic” timetable had been agreed and a trial date had already been fixed for April 27.

He confirmed that a further plea and trial preparation hearing would need to take place before the trial date, but the date for that hearing was not fixed today.

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At the end of the brief hearing the Recorder of Bradford Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC told Birkby, who is remanded in custody, that he would return to the court as soon as possible.

“People are working to try and resolve this tragedy,” the judge told Birkby.

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