Man denies Christmas killing of pensioner in Wakefield village
Defendant offers not-guilty plea over the death of 72-year-old.
A man charged with killing a pensioner during the Christmas holidays will stand trial this summer, after he denied causing his death.
Hamza Shafique appeared at Leeds Crown Court this week where he entered a not-guilty plea to a charge of manslaughter.
Stephen Jedynak, 72, died following an altercation in Crofton, Wakefield, in the days before Christmas.
Shafique, 27, of Maidstone Street, Bradford, will now stand trial on June 29. He was remanded back into custody.
Mr Jedynak was taken to hospital on Christmas Eve after the ambulance service attended at his home in Crofton following a report of concern for his welfare.
He was found unresponsive and was pronounced dead three days later.
The death was referred to West Yorkshire Police by the Coroner’s Office and detectives from the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team launched a murder investigation.
It was thought Mr Jedynak had been assaulted on Thorntree Court, Crofton, on Tuesday, December 23.
Police announced on January 10 that Shafique had been charged in relation to his death.
Three other men, aged 23, 26 and 32, who were also arrested as part of the investigation have been released on bail pending further enquiries.