Woman in court charged with Coxhoe car park murder (From The Northern Echo)

Woman in court charged with Coxhoe car park murder

11:42am Thursday 4th February 2010 in

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A WOMAN accused of killing a man by deliberately driving at him and knocking him over, made her first court appearance this morning.

Naomi Jane Myers, 21, was brought before a district judge sitting at North Durham Magistrates' Court, in Consett.

She is charged with the murder of 28-year-old Shaun Dalby, in Coxhoe, near Durham, in the early hours of Tuesday.

Ms Myers was brought from the court cells and, flanked by two dock officers, confirmed her name and address.

She acknowledged that she understood the charge she is facing, although it was not formally put to her by the court clerk during a hearing lasting less than three minutes.

District Judge Michael Wood told the court that he is no longer able to "entertain" a bail application in such cases, under new legislation.

The Coroners and Justices Act 2010, which only came into force on Monday, states that applications for bail in murder cases can only now be heard by crown court judges.

Where "reasonably practicable" it must be within 48 hours of the first magistrates' court hearing.

The case was, therefore, committed by District Judge Wood to Newcastle Crown Court, where the bail application will be made before a judge at 10am tomorrow.

Ms Myers, of Park Avenue, Coxhoe, who was wearing a brown leather jacket, was led back to the cells and will remain in custody overnight pending tomorrow's crown court hearing.

A group of four women and three men, who appeared to be friends or members of her family, were led into part of the public gallery by a court usher to witness the short hearing.

Several police officers were also present at the court building.

Mr Dalby, who lived in Church Street, Coxhoe, was allegedly struck by Ms Myers' Fiat Punto car.

Police, alerted by the ambulance service, found him lying in the car park next to the Co-op store in Browning Hill, Coxhoe, shortly after 1.30am.

He was certified dead at the scene and a post-mortem examination has since been carried out by a Home office pathologist, but police said further tests are to be carried out on the body.

Police investigating the death have appealed for information from anyone who saw or heard anything in the Coxhoe area which may be of interest to the inquiry team.

They are asked to ring Durham Police, on 0345-60 60 365 or the Crimestoppers' freephone line, anonymously, on 0800-555111.