A CREWE teenager appeared in court yesterday charged with the murder of a father-to-be who was found stabbed to death.
Anthony Holmes, 18, of Gains-borough Road, was arrested following the death of Jamie Lee Vernon, also 18, of Kingsway in Winsford on Sunday, July 2.
Mr Vernon died in Dee Way at Winsford after being stabbed with what was believed to be a nine-inch kitchen knife shortly after 1am.
Holmes appeared in custody at Chester Crown Court yesterday wearing a white T-shirt and jeans. He spoke only to confirm his name and address.
No plea was entered. There was no application for bail and the case was adjourned to October 8. He was further remanded in custody.
Peter Frost, prosecuting, explained that he was arrested shortly after the death of Mr Vernon and the police murder investigation is still active.
Mr Frost added: 'There are still a lot of witnesses to be inter-viewed and some of them are child witnesses. Forensic and medical evidence is still to be examined.'
Barry Grennan, defending, agreed to an eight-week adjournment for evidence to be examined.
Judge David Hale agreed to the adjournment and anticipated it would take longer than eight weeks to gather evidence.
Police, who estimate that there was a group of up to 40 youths in the area at the time, have recovered the knife that was used in the stabbing and are still looking for a blood-stained T-shirt that the alleged attacker may have discarded as he fled the scene.
Father-to-be Mr Vernon was found by police collapsed on a grass verge after suffering stab wounds to his lower abdomen.
They attempted to resuscitate him and he was taken to Leighton Hospital by ambulance. Medics tried in vain to save him but he died later from his injuries.
