Man charged with murder of court bailiff
SuppliedA man has been charged with the murder of a court bailiff who was attacked while he was at work.
Durham Police said officers were called at about 13:00 GMT on Tuesday to reports a man had been assaulted in Dent Street in Shildon, County Durham.
The victim, former police officer Jeff Blair, 55, sustained serious injuries and died after being taken to James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough.
Robert Davies, 49, of Dent Street, Shildon, has been charged with murder, possession of an offensive weapon, and affray.
He has been remanded in custody and will appear at Peterlee Magistrates' Court on Friday.
Det Ch Insp Sharon Alderson, leading the investigation, said: "This has been a deeply upsetting incident which has caused a great deal of shock to the local community."
Blair worked as an officer for Durham Police for 22 years before retiring in 2017 prior to becoming a bailiff.
Alderson said: "Our thoughts are with Jeff's family and all those who knew and loved him at this difficult time."
She said there would be a police presence at the scene while officers worked to establish what happened.
The victim's family previously said in a statement: "Jeff was a much-loved son, brother, father, partner, uncle, and good friend to many.
"His ability to apply humour and laughter to any situation and lighten the mood will be irreplaceable to our family."
