Two people appear before Leeds Crown Court charged with murder of Christopher Laskaris

TWO people have appeared before a Crown court charged with the murder of a 24-year-old man who was found dead at his home in Leeds.
Christopher Laskaris.Christopher Laskaris.
Christopher Laskaris.

Philip Craig and Dempsey Pattison appeared before Leeds Crown Court today charged with the murder of Christopher Laskaris.

Mr Laskaris was found dead at his flat on St John’s Close, Hyde Park, on November 17.

Craig is also charged with an offence of burglary.

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No pleas were entered by either of the defendants in relation to any of the charges.

Pattison, 22, of Bruce Lawn, New Wortley, appeared in the dock of the court.

Craig, 37, of Kings Road, Hyde Park, appeared via a prison video link.

The court heard detailed forensic investigations still need to be carried out.

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Pattison and Craig were remanded into custody until January 3 when they will be returned to the court for a plea and trial preparation hearing.

Police are continuing their efforts to trace two guitars and an amplifier belonging to Mr Laskaris.

They are a red Fender Jaguar electric guitar, a blue Flying V electric guitar, and an Orange Crush 35RT amplifier.

A Lenovo laptop was also found to be missing from the flat.

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Detective Chief Inspector Mark Swift, of West Yorkshire Police Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, said: “We are keen to speak to anyone who knows the whereabouts of these items or has been offered similar items for sale at any point since November 4.

“We are continuing to carry out enquiries to trace these items and would urge anyone who has information that could assist the investigation to contact us immediately.”

Information on the missing items can be passed to the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team via 101, with reference to Operation Pulleygate, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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