Men appear in court over gay murder

Illustrated rainbow pride flag on a pink background.

Two men appeared in court on today charged with murdering the gay bar manager, Jody Dobrowski, on Clapham Common last year.

Unemployed Thomas Pickford and decorator Scott Walker denied murdering the 24 year old last October.

Mr Pickford, 25, and Mr Walker, 33, who appeared at the Old Bailey by video link were remanded in custody. Their trial will begin on June 12th 2006.

Mr Dobrowski was found unconscious in the early hours of the 15th October but died later in hospital. He had suffered a violent, homophobic attack that caused head, neck and facial injuries.

The Metropolitan Police maintain that the attack was homophobic.

Police believe that Mr Dobrowski’s assailants may have verbally abused a woman in a nearby street fifteen minutes prior to the murder.