Murder charge remand in custody

Jobless David Thomas, 23, from Battle Road, appeared at Lewes Crown Court yesterday morning charged with the murder of gravedigger Richard Baker, whose body was discovered in his Whitefriars Road, West Hill, home.

By The Newsroom

Published 28th Aug 2003, 15:39 BST

Updated 7th Jun 2018, 23:22 BST

A post mortem revealed that Mr Baker, 45, who was well known at Hollington, had been strangled at his on Saturday, last week.

Thomas did not enter a plea to the murder charge during the brief hearing before a judge at Lewes Crown Court.

He was remanded in custody and will appear in court again on October 31 for a plea and directions hearing.

Mr Baker, who is pictured at Church-in-the-Wood with former rector the Rev Alan Turner was the son of a police officer who used to live in Oxford Road at Hollington. His family have been associated with the church for many years.

For some years he had served as sexton and verger at Church-in-the-Wood, where his duties included tending the churchyard and digging graves, and carrying out duties for funerals, including preparing the church and tolling bells.