Man appears in court charged with attempted murder of man in 80s

A man in his 20s accused of attempting to murder a man in his 80s has appeared in court.Ashley Francis, 26, of Whittington Hill, appeared before Norwich Magistrates’ Court on Saturday after a man was found with stab wounds in Hockwold on Thursday.Police were called to the village after reports that a pensioner had been stabbed in the neck just before 9am.

A man in his 20s was arrested at the scene on suspicion of attempted murder and taken to Wymondham Police Investigation Centre for questioning – before he was charged with attempted murder.The victim was initially taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Lynn, but later transferred to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge for treatment – he remains in a critical but stable condition.Magistrates have committed the case to Norwich Crown Court with a preliminary hearing scheduled for April 2.