THE plea hearing of a Morda man accused of wounding with intent among other offences has been delayed again at Shrewsbury Crown Court.

Robert North, 24 and of Weston Close, appeared via video link from HMP Hewell, in Worcestershire, on Monday, September 9,  to plead to six offences.

He has been charged with two counts of wounding with intent, two counts of possession of a knife blade or sharp-pointed article in a public place and two counts of assaulting a person thereby occasioning them actual bodily harm.

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They relate to an incident in the village, outside Oswestry, on Saturday, July 20, where one person was taken to hospital in Stoke-on-Trent with serious injuries.

Paul Smith, defending North, said his client was waiting further items of prosecution evidence to be presented to him before he could enter a plea.

William Dudley, for the prosecution, asked for a date of Wednesday, September 18, for the Crown Prosecution Service to send North’s defence transcripts of two witness interviews as well as 999 calls he made to police.

Judge John Butterfield agreed to the extension and also to Mr Smith’s request to use Wednesday, October 2, as a new plea and preparation hearing date.

This, he added, was a stage two date ahead of a trial on Monday, January 6, 2025 which was agreed at North’s first hearing on Monday, August 19.

Mr Smith added that a psychological report was needed for his client as he was on the autism spectrum but added that it would be for the trial and not to determine his fitness to plead.


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He added: “While the incident is caught on CCTV, the background of the event is particularly important and of interest.”

Judge Butterfield adjourned the plea hearing to October 2 but did warn the court that North would be arraigned on that date, even with further delays.

He was remanded back into custody ahead of his next hearing.