A 24-year-old man accused of murder and attempted murder in Worcester is due to enter his pleas at a hearing in the city next month.

Charles Byrne of Waterworks Road, Worcester, is accused of murdering Christina Rowe and attempting to murder another person, who cannot be named for legal reasons. Both charges relate to offences which happened in the city on February 10 this year. Byrne, who failed to attend his last hearing, is due to appear at Worcester Crown Court on May 21 for a plea and trial preparation hearing. This is where the charges are formally put to the defendant - referred to as arraignment at crown court - and he enters his pleas.

At the start of the last hearing, Judge James Burbidge QC, the Recorder of Worcester, asked Byrne’s defence barrister, Stephen Hamblett, why his client had not appeared by videolink from prison.

Mr Hamblett replied: “The information I have got is that he is unfit for court, and that is the email I have had (from prison staff), so he won’t be joining us today. That’s all I have been told.”

Mr Hamblett explained Byrne had also been due to speak to him on a videolink conference prior to the 3.30pm hearing, but Byrne had failed to appear for that.

“No one came, blank screen, and prison staff didn’t say anything,” he said.

The preliminary hearing continued in Byrne’s absence and Rachel Brand QC, prosecuting, said: “It is clear from police interviews with this defendant that there will be psychiatric issues.

"I have spoken to Mr Hamblett, the defence are already progressing along the line of obtaining a psychiatric report. The first step is to ascertain fitness to plead.”