A defendant will be tried later this year for the manslaughter of a Devizes man.

40-year-old Darren Fell, of Hewitt Court, appeared in Winchester Crown Court on November 29 charged with the manslaughter of 44-year-old Wayne Sheppard. He pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Fell was remanded in custody and the date for his trial has now been set for April 24, 2023.

The case was previously delayed because of strike action by criminal barristers - meaning Fell could not get representation.

Prosecutors were also deliberating whether he should face a manslaughter charge or if it should be a different allegation.

Mr Sheppard, of Waiblingen Way, was assaulted on New Park Street in Devizes on July 2, 2023. He was subsequently taken to Great Western Hospital where he died six days later, on the morning of July 8.

At the time his family paid a short tribute to him.

They said: “Our dear son Wayne has passed away peacefully at Great Western Hospital on July 8. 

“He was such a lovely son and father and always a happy go lucky bloke. He always helped out other people and he will be missed by us all.”