A 54-YEAR-OLD accused of attempting to murder a man in Tiptree has appeared in court.
David Stoneman was left fighting for his life after being stabbed at about 3.20pm next to the village green in Maypole Road, Tiptree, on July 11.
John Garrett, 54, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder in connection with the stabbing and on suspicion of robbing the Shell Co-op in Maypole Road of two bottles of alcohol.
He appeared before Chelmsford Crown Court on Thursday morning.
Garrett, of Elm Close, Tiptree, denied robbery but entered no plea to the attempted murder charge.
Judge Christopher Morgan said Garrett would next appear at court on September 22.
He set a provisional trial date in the court’s warned list for January 4 next year.
Mr Stoneman, who is in his fifties, remained in a critical condition in hospital in July but has since been released and is “stable”.
Forensic officers were seen examining a bus stop in Maypole Road, next to the village green, hours after the stabbing while items of clothing remained left in the road.
A road closure was put in place between the mini roundabout at The Original Factory Shop and the Shell garage while officers probed the scene.
Constables reassured residents who had gathered near the cordon which shut off a large section of the village green.
At the time, Det Insp Alison Hooper said: “I would like to thank the members of the public that witnessed the incident, helped the victim and have supported our investigation.”
A 59-year-old woman who was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender remains on bail pending further inquiries.
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