THREE people appeared in court yesterday in connection with the suspected heroin death of teenager Damien Welsh.
The 19-year-old's body was found on scrubland in Colburn in North Yorkshire in April and a post-mortem examination has identified a drugs overdose as the cause of death.
Yesterday, Colin Stead, 28, Sonia Jackson, 31, and Terence Hart, 18, appeared before Northallerton magistrates to face charges in connection with the death.
The trio were all charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice by failing to report Mr Welsh's death and subsequently moving the body out of a house at Bramble Court, Colburn, and onto the scrubland.
Stead, of Teesdale Walk, Bishop Auckland, is also charged with supplying heroin to Mr Welsh on or about the day of his death.
Hart, of Hilton Road, Sunderland, faces a further charge of possession of heroin and the two men, along with Jackson, of Wellgarth, Evenwood, Bishop Auckland, are also accused of failing to surrender to custody.
Magistrates refused a request by defending solicitor Alan Meehan to release the defendants on bail. All three were remanded in custody until their next court appearance next Thursday.
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