THREE people will stand trial in January after being charged in relation to a murder in Mossley.
Shockwaves over the fate of Thomas Campbell are still being felt in the community after police revealed he was found outside his house on Riverside.
Now Stephen Cleworth, Coleen Campbell and Reece Steven have been told they will appear before a jury early in the new year.
The trio all appeared at Manchester Crown Court on Monday, August 15 after being charged with conspiracy to commit murder.
And Judge Alan Conrad QC told them they will be in the dock at the same venue from January 9, with a trial expected to last up to four weeks.
Mr Cleworth, 37 and of Heywood, Mr Steven, 29 and of Middleton, and 38-year-old Ms Campbell, of the Clayton area of Manchester, all appeared via video link.
No pleas were entered and a preliminary trial date was fixed for January 9. A further case management hearing was also fixed for October 24.
Despite the charges, Greater Manchester Police’s investigation into 38-year-old Mr Campbell’s murder is ongoing.
Two more people have been arrested over the incident, which started when emergency services were called out to Riverside on Sunday, July 3 following concerns for the welfare of a person.
It soon escalated into a murder probe, however, and the force described Mr Campbell as being, ‘found with fatal injuries outside his home.’
A 20-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder, along with a 22-year-old man who was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder.
Both have since been released on bail after being taken in on Thursday, August 11.