High Court judge appointed for murder trial of Annan man Paul Taylor

The trial of a 20-year-old accused of murdering Paul Taylor is due to start on 1 October 2024, a court has heard.

Jack Ryan Crawley, 20, from Carlisle, was charged following the disappearance of Mr Taylor.

The father-of-two from Annan was reported missing on the night of 17th October last year.

A major search for the 56-year-old got underway and detectives later launched a murder probe.

Human remains, confirmed as those of Mr Taylor, were then discovered by police in the area of Finglandrigg Wood, near Carlisle, at the start of May.

Crawley stands accused of Mr Taylor’s murder and has pleaded not guilty to the allegation.

A second man, Marcus Goodfellow, 20, also from Carlisle, denies one charge which alleges that he assisted Crawley with the disposal of Mr Taylor’s Vauxhall Corsa.

This vehicle was found abandoned in Langwathby, near Penrith, on 19th October.

Crawley and Goodfellow appeared side-by-side in the dock at Carlisle Crown Court for an administrative review hearing in front of Judge Nicholas Barker, who gave an update on the case ahead of their trial.

The four-week trial will take place in front of and will be presided over by High Court judge, Mr Justice Goose.

Crawley remains remanded in custody and Goodfellow on conditional bail ahead of their next scheduled court hearing in September.

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