FOUR people have denied stabbing a man to death in Southend.

Courtney Valentine-Brown died on February 21 this year after suffering a stab wound in Roots Hall Drive.

Echo:

Victim - 36-year-old Courtney was rushed to hospital but sadly died

The 36-year-old was rushed to hospital but sadly died later that night.

Yesterday, Kelly King, 30, of Howards Close, Westcliff, appeared via video link at Basildon Crown Court from Peterborough Prison.

Three other men - Ian Slater, 49, of Wayletts, Leigh, Stuart Pearson, 43, of Satanita Road, Westcliff, and Alex Stephens, 36, of Hamlet Court Road - all appeared in the dock with two dock officers.

All four have been charged with the murder of Mr Valentine-Brown.

The defendants spoke only to confirm their name and to deny one count of murder before Judge John Lodge.

The matter was listed for a provisional trial date of July 29 at Chelmsford Crown Court with barristers estimating it to last between six to seven weeks.

A further case management hearing will take place at Basildon Crown Court on May 10 to confirm the date of the trial.

Mr Valentine-Brown was stabbed in the leg while at an address in Roots Hall Drive, Southend, shortly before midnight.

The 36-year-old was rushed to hospital but sadly died later that night.

An inquest opened into the cause of his death and a post-mortem examination confirmed he died from a single stab wound to the leg.

In a tribute shared after his death, his family described him as “ambitious, cheeky and extremely creative with his whole future ahead of him despite his life challenges”.

Anyone who saw or heard anything, has dash cam or CCTV footage or any other information should call Essex Police on 101 quoting incident 1375 of February 21.

Information can also be passed to scd.appeals.essex@essex.pnn.police.uk or to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or at crimestoppers-uk.org