A SECOND man has been charged with murder following the death of County Durham man Michael Price.

Mr Price, 36, suffered head injuries during an incident in Victor Street in Chester-le-Street on Saturday, January 13 and died in hospital on Wednesday, January 24.

Yesterday, police arrested 30-year-old Christopher Hills, from Houghton-le-Spring, in connection with the inquiry in South Shields.

Mr Hills was last night charged with murder and appeared before magistrates in Newton Aycliffe on Tuesday morning during a two-minutes hearing.

The 30-year-old Chester-le-Street man was handcuffed in the dock during the short hearing where he was remanded in custody.

He will next appear in Newcastle Crown Court on March 1 at 10am. 

Paul Ronald Watson, 30, of The Crescent, in Chester-le-Street, has previously appeared in magistrates’ court charged with murder.