https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11960405/Boy-12-yawns-appears-court-accused-murdering-grandmother-60-hit-car.htmlBoy, 12, yawns and is told to take his feet down from the front of the dock as he appears in court accused of murdering grandmother, 60, hit by car
The boy, who cannot be named, appeared at Sheffield Crown Court earlier today
During the hearing, he yawned and was told by an officer to take his feet down
By Jamie Phillips For Mailonline
Published: 13:02, 11 April 2023 | Updated: 15:35, 11 April 2023
A 12-year-old boy yawned and was told to take his feet down from the front of a dock as he appeared in court accused of murdering a grandmother. The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared at Sheffield Crown Court today charged with running over Marcia Grant, 60, with her own car outside her home in Greenhill on Wednesday. Dressed in a light-brown hooded tracksuit, the child sat in the dock in Court 7 with three staff from his secure accommodation and a court security officer. He gazed around the court as lawyers discussed the case, occasionally leaning back, putting his hands behind his head and looking up at journalists and police officers sitting in the public gallery. At one point during the hearing, he yawned and was told by one of the officers accompanying him to take his feet down from the front wall of the dock. The boy spoke only at the beginning and end of proceedings, first to confirm his name and then to acknowledge he understood what was happening when the judge explained the next steps in the case. The Recorder of Sheffield Judge Jeremy Richardson KC said the case had to be prioritised due to the age of the defendant and fixed a provisional trial date for August 14. The judge dispensed with his normal robes for the hearing, as did prosecutor Ian Goldsack and Ben Campbell, who was representing the boy. He said everything possible should be done to bring the case to trial in August, but he set a fallback date of October 3. A case management hearing will take place on May 5 at 2pm. The boy was remanded into secure youth detention accommodation following the 20-minute hearing. Mrs Grant, described as 'a wonderful and beautiful lady with a heart of gold', was pronounced dead by paramedics at the scene of Wednesday’s incident outside her house in Hemper Lane, Greenhill. The boy is also charged with possession of a bladed article relating to a silver kitchen knife alleged to have been found by police officers called to the incident. Mrs Grant’s family released a statement after her death which said: 'Marcia was a warm, loving and dedicated wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend and a pillar of her community.'
Flowers have been laid outside her semi-detached home. One message attached to the flowers said: 'You were such a wonderful and beautiful lady with a heart of gold.'
Another said: 'Marcia was such a lovely lady.'
