THREE men are set to face a jury accused of killing an award-winning pub landlord and grandfather during an alleged car-jacking.

James Ray, of Easingwold, near Thirsk, was seriously injured in an attack in Ashton-under-Lyme, Manchester, on November 12 last year and died in hospital the following day, his 70th birthday.

Mr Ray, a former landlord of the Spotted Ox in Tockwith, between Harrogate and York, had driven a delivery van to Plantation Industrial Estate, where he suffered serious head injuries.

The grandfather-of-four was found by a member of the public lying on the ground near an industrial laundry, where he had been unloading washing powder sacks.

He had been working part-time for a business owned by his son-in-law, based in the North Yorkshire village, delivering supplies to the cleaning industry. Mr Ray died just hours later in hospital. His grey transit van was allegedly stolen from the scene and later found abandoned on Clarence Street, in Stalybridge.

Greater Manchester Police said Martin Patrick Ward Jnr, 24, of Royd Street, Rochdale, Patrick John McDonagh, 20, of The Cray, Milnrow, and Patrick Cawley, 22, of Orchard Crescent, Chadderton, had been charged with manslaughter, aggravated vehicle taking and conspiracy to steal.

Three other men, Martin Patrick Ward Snr, 45, of Claybank Street, Heywood, Faisal Hussain, 22, of Ansdell Road, Rochdale, and Leslie John Simpson, 38, of Daventry Road, Rochdale, have been charged with conspiracy to steal.

A trial date has been set for November 7, at Manchester Crown Court.

Mr Ray and his widow, Vivien, ran the Spotted Ox for more than a decade, with Camra members voting it the best in the area and describing it as a “Mecca to lovers of good food and beer”. They had previously run pubs in Harrogate. Regulars of the pubs were said to be “shocked and horrified” after learning of his death.

In a statement, Mr Ray’s family, who police said were forced to abandon their plans for a birthday party and instead prepare for a funeral, said: “We are completely and utterly devastated by the death of James who was killed on the very day of his birthday. He has left behind his wife, a son, a daughter and four grandchildren who are stunned by this abhorrent act of violence.”