A MAN accused of murder denied inflicting fatal head injuries of man found unconscious in the street.

Dean Williams entered a not guilty plea at Teesside Crown Court this morning when he made a brief appearance via videolink.

The 49-year-old is accused of murdering Ian MacNeil during a violent attack in Middlesbrough last November.

Mr MacNeil, 46, was wearing light coloured tracksuit bottoms and is believed to have been in the area of Abingdon Road, Southfield Road and Victoria Road between the hours of 9.15pm and 11.40pm on the evening of Sunday 28.

Read more: Flowers and balloons appear at crash site where teenager, 17, was killed​

He had suffered serious head injuries and was taken to hospital and received treatment but died on December 3.

Mr MacNeil's family released this image of him in the wake of his death.

The Northern Echo: Ian Macneil, who died after being found in a Middlesbrough road with serious head injuriesIan Macneil, who died after being found in a Middlesbrough road with serious head injuries

Judge Howard Crowson remanded Williams in custody until his trial on June 27.

Williams, of Southfield Road, Middlesbrough, was told his case will be listed for further preliminary hearings ahead of the trial date.

Anyone with information, including dashcam or CCTV footage, is asked to contact Cleveland Police on the non-emergency number 101, quoting incident number 21203083.

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