Cottingley murder accused makes first appearance at Leeds court
Man remanded until later this week
A 52-year-old man charged with murder made his first court appearance this morning.
Colin Mann is accused of killing the woman at Cottingley Towers, where they both lived, over the weekend.
During the brief hearing at Leeds Magistrates’ Court today, Mann was asked several times to give his name and date of birth, and was eventually asked to just nod to confirm both.
He was dressed in prison-issue grey T-shirt.
No bail application was made and he was remanded back into custody to appear at Leeds Crown Court on Wednesday, July 29.
The body of 58-year-old Tracy Davenport was found at the flat on the evening of Friday, July 24.
Officers were called at about 11.40pm by a concerned person expressing concern for someone inside one of the flats.
Leeds police officers quickly attended at the location and on entering a flat there, discovered her body.
West Yorkshire Police said her family continues to be supported by specially-trained officers and enquires into the murder remain ongoing by the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team.
T/DCI Eleanor Buchanan of the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, who is leading the investigation, said: “This has clearly been a very serious incident, and we are investigating the circumstances of what took place at this address.
“Incidents such as this rightly cause concern among communities and I want to assure residents all necessary resources are being used to investigate what took place.”
Anyone who has any information about the incident or who saw or heard suspicious activity at flats on Cottingley Towers from 11pm on Friday evening is asked to contact the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team.
Reports can be made via 101 or online at the LiveChat referencing crime number 13260422675.