Three in court over murder of Stourbridge businessman

Three people have appeared at crown court charged with the murder of a Stourbridge businessman in his flat in Shropshire.

Michael Cyril Smith, from Tipton, together with Paramjit Singh and Emma Bate, both from Birmingham, appeared at Shrewsbury Crown Court yesterday.

The three are jointly charged with the murder of 57-year-old Richard Sherratt at Old School Mews, Bridgnorth on June 14.

Smith, aged 51, of Horton Road, Singh, aged 32, from Wilmore Road, Perry Barr, and Bate, aged 25, from Gladstone Street, Aston, were also charged with robbing Mr Sherratt of his watch, wallet and its contents.

Singh and Bate are also charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice by disposing of clothing between June 14 and 16.

No pleas were taken, there were no applications for bail and the case was adjourned to September 17 for a plea and case management hearing. The venue of the hearing has yet to be decided.

The body of Mr Sherratt, who moved to Bridgnorth only a couple of months ago, was discovered by police in the first floor flat on June 14.

He was a father of three and had previously lived in the Kinver and Stourbridge areas.