TWO males have appeared in court as part of an ongoing police probe into the alleged murder of a Carlisle man – taking the total number of people now charged to seven.
A 17-year-old from the city was brought before magistrates this morning (SAT) along with 25-year-old Arron Mark Graham. This came eight days after five people from Carlisle appeared in front of a judge at the city’s crown court in connection with the death of 26-year-old Lee McKnight.
Jamie Andrew Davison, 25; of Beverley Rise, Carol Diane Edgar, 46; her 25-year-old daughter, Coral Edgar, both of Charles Street; and 51-year-old Paul Roberts, of Grey Street; each face one charge which alleges that they murdered Mr McKnight on July 24. Forty-year-old Janice Edgar, of Dale End Road, is charged with assisting an offender – allegedly with “the disposal of a body” – and illegally possessed drugs with intent to supply them.
Detectives had launched a large scale probe after Mr McKnight’s body was found in the River Caldew, in the area of Blackwell Hall, near Cummersdale.
Graham, previously of Blackwell Road, Carlisle, is charged with making a threat to kill a male – said by police to be “unrelated” to the death of Mr McKnight. This is alleged to have occurred during a telephone call on July 31.
Graham, wearing a red T-shirt, stated he was of no fixed address when he appeared in the dock with a security guard during today’s hearing. He was remanded in custody, his solicitor stating that no bail application was being made.
The 17-year-old, appearing separately in the dock alongside two female security guards, and wearing a grey jumper, faces a charge which alleges he assisted an offender. Court papers show he is alleged to have done so, on July 24, having “assisted in the disposal of items with intent to impede the apprehension or prosecution of a person”.
He was remanded to youth detention accommodation by magistrates who had heard a brief summary of the allegations facing both defendants from prosecutor Carl Gaffney
Neither the teenager nor Graham indicated a plea to the respective charges. Both are due to appear at Carlisle Crown Court on September 7, when the other five people charged are also due to attend.
