Men in court charged with Exmouth murder

Chloe ParkmanSouth West
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All five men charged with murder have been remanded into custody

Five men have appeared in court jointly charged with the murder of a 24-year old man.

Denva Smith died from a single stab wound and was found in the garden of a property in Ashfield Close, Exmouth in Devon on 31 May.

Dylan Chadwick, 23, of Cambourne Avenue, St Helens, Merseyside, Ben Mason, 23, of no fixed abode, and Ben Helliker, 26, of Halsdon Road, Exmouth, pleaded not guilty to the murder when they appeared at Exeter Crown Court on Friday.

Two other men, Zac Davies, 23, of Hawthorn Grove, Exmouth, and Thomas Ward, 24, of Russell Walk, Exeter, previously entered not guilty pleas to the same joint charge. All five were remanded in custody.

The five defendants are due to go on trial at Exeter Crown Court on 14 January.

The trial is expected to last up to six weeks.

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