Northumberland man denies murdering ambulance worker outside Cramlington pub

37 year old Toby Kelly, is on trial after the death of Sheldon Flanighan

Author: Ellie KumarPublished 2nd May 2023

A Northumberland man will go on trial later this year - after denying the murder of an ambulance worker, who was hit by a van outside a pub in Cramlington

Sheldon Flanighan - who was 55 - died after being run over outside the Bay Horse Inn last month.

Toby Kelly, 37, of Wansbeck Avenue in Blyth; David Fairclough, 32, of Emerson Road, Newbiggin-by-the-Sea; and Shannon Wooden, 27, of Blyth, are charged with his murder.

On Monday, Kelly pleaded not guilty to murdering Mr Flanighan and trying to murder a second man, who was also hurt in the collision.

Fairclough and Wooden were not asked to enter pleas during the hearing at Newcastle Crown Court.

Judge Paul Sloan KC set a trial date of October 3.

Mr Flanighan, who worked for the North East Ambulance Service and had two sons, was described by his family as a "dedicated father and a whole-hearted community man".

A statement said: "Sheldon came with a character larger than life, a smile and laughter that lit up the room and a heart that saw the good in everyone.

"This personality endeared Sheldon to our family, his ambulance service colleagues, the golfing community, and his life-long friends from Northumberland and the wider North East."

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