Two men charged following the disappearance and death of Annan man Paul Taylor have appeared in court together for the first time.
A major police probe was launched after Mr Taylor, 56, was reported missing. He last seen leaving his address in the south-west Scotland town at around 9.45pm on October 17, 2023.
It is believed he travelled to Carlisle just before midnight on that date in a blue Vauxhall Corsa which was found abandoned in the village of Langwathby, near Penrith, on October 19 2023.
Detectives subsequently launched a murder probe. At different stages of their enquiry, two men were charged and, to date, they have made separate court appearances.
That changed today at Carlisle Crown Court today when a judge formally joined the cases of Jack Ryan Crawley, 20, and Marcus Goodfellow, also 20, as they appeared in front of him
It means allegations faced by the pair are now officially listed on one charge sheet, and not separately as was previously the case.
During a hearing lasting just less than 20 minutes, Crawley appeared remotely over a video link from custody, and Goodfellow in the court dock. Both spoke to confirm their names and dates of birth.
All charges faced by Crawley were read to him by a court clerk. He formally pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mr Taylor.
Crawley also denied two charges brought following a police investigation in the York area: one alleges the attempted murder of a man on January 5 2024; and a second alleges that he unlawfully and maliciously wounded the same man, causing him grievous bodily harm, on the same date.
At a previous hearing, Goodfellow pleaded not guilty to the one charge he faces, that of assisting an offender.
This alleges that between October 17 and 20 last year, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, he assisted Crawley with the disposal of Mr Taylor’s Vauxhall Corsa; and that he did so with intend to impede the apprehension or prosecution of Jack Ryan Crawley.
Crawley, of Carlisle, and Goodfellow, of Greystone Road, Carlisle, are due to stand trial in front of a jury at the city’s crown court in October.
In the meantime Crawley remains remanded in custody, while Goodfellow is on conditional bail.
Charges faced by the two men were brought before Mr Taylor’s body was found. Human remains, later confirmed as those of Mr Taylor, were discovered by police in the area of Finglandrigg Wood, west of Kirkbampton, near Carlisle, at the start of this month.
It emerged during today’s hearing that no cause of death had yet been formally ascertained.
