Two men have appeared in court charged with the murder of a man who died after a suspected ammonia attack.
Kenneth Fawcett, of North Shields, and John Wandless, of no fixed abode, both 32, appeared at Newcastle Crown Court via a prison videolink, charged with murdering Andy Foster, 26, from Wrekenton, Gateshead.
Mr Foster was injured in a suspected ammonia attack when he opened the door at an address on Eighton Terrace in Wrekenton on August 20, and later died in hospital.
No pleas were entered at the 20-minute hearing and there was no application for bail.
Judge Paul Sloan KC told the defendants they would appear before the court again on October 2 for a plea and trial preparation hearing.
They were remanded in custody in the meantime. A trial date was provisionally set for February 2 next year.
Last week, Mr Foster’s family paid tribute, saying: “He was our only son – as well as a loving and supportive partner, grandson and cousin – and was particularly close with his grandad, who was very special to him. “We are absolutely devastated and heartbroken beyond words that we have sadly lost our boy. “Andy still had his whole life left ahead of him – and we are struggling to come to terms with the fact that he is no longer here with us.”
