Judge moves trial of defendant accused of Birmingham city centre stabbing murder
The trial of a murder suspect accused of stabbing a woman in the neck in Birmingham city centre has been moved from May to October.
Djeison Rafael, who has yet to enter any plea to the murder of 34-year-old Katie Fox, did not attend a 20-minute hearing at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday.
Ms Fox died in hospital after being stabbed on Smallbrook Queensway, close to New Street station, shortly before 9pm on November 7 last year.
A provisional trial date for Rafael of May 5 was set at a previous hearing, but Judge Paul Farrer KC ordered that the case, lasting around three weeks, should now begin on October 6.
The judge told the court it was “common ground” that the case would not be ready for trial in May.
The decision to move the trial followed legal submissions by prosecutor Michael Brady KC and Rebecca Wade KC, details of which cannot be reported for legal reasons.
Rafael, 21, of no fixed address, is also charged with two counts of causing actual bodily harm to Mariamo Sow on October 27 and to Hailing Du on November 7, possession of a blade on November 7, and assaulting a detention escort officer on November 8.
Judge Farrer also fixed a pre-trial review hearing for July 24 at the same court.
