Wallsend murder accused George Ness pleads not guilty to killing John Smyth and aggravated burglary
by Rob Kennedy · ChronicleLiveMurder accused George Ness will stand trial next year after pleading not guilty to killing a man.
Ness is alleged to have killed 63-year-old John Smyth in Wallsend on September 22. Ness, who appeared on a video-link from prison, pleaded not guilty to murder and aggravated burglary on the same date - during which he is alleged to have attempted to steal money on Holly Avenue, Wallsend, while in possession of a knife. He also denied having a bladed article on the same day on the same street.
Ness, 41, of Avon Avenue in North Shields, will stand trial on January 17 and the case is expected to take around five days. He was further remanded in custody.
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Judge Paul Sloan KC told him there will be two further pre-trial hearings before the trial and said he had to provide a defence statement setting out his defence to the charges. He added: "If, and I stress the word if, you have committed any offence or offences arising out of these allegations, the sooner you tell the court, the better for you, the less severe the punishment will be. The longer you leave it to tell the court if you have committed an offence, the worse it will be for you, the more severe the punishment will be."
Mr Smyth, who was born in Glasgow but had recently moved to Tyneside from Derby, was pronounced dead in hospital after emergency services were called to Holly Avenue.
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