A LEEK man will stand trial next month accused of the murder of 97-year-old Ada Hopkinson who died almost three years after she was attacked in her home.

Benjamin Brough, aged 21, pleaded not guilty at Warwick Crown Court on Friday to the murder of Mrs Hopkinson, pictured, on February 10 last year.

That was the date the pensioner died, almost three years after she was attacked and left lying in a pool of blood at her home in Shirburn Road, Leek.

Following his arrest Brough, who was aged 17 at the time and living in Shaw Place, Leek, faced charges of attempted murder, causing grievous bodily harm with intent and burglary.

Following a four-day trial at Stafford Crown Court in 2006, he was found guilty of causing Mrs Hopkinson grievous bodily harm with intent - and was jailed for 12 years. He was cleared of the two other charges.

Following Mrs Hopkinson's death, the Attorney General gave consent for Brough to be charged with her murder.

The charge was not put to him at an earlier hearing because it was indicated that an application would be made by the defence for the charge to be dismissed.

That application, which has to be made before any pleas are entered to a charge, was due to be made at Warwick Crown Court on Friday by Brough's barrister Stephen Meadowcroft QC.

It was expected he would argue that there was insufficient prosecution evidence to show a link between the original injuries and Mrs Hopkinson's subsequent death.

But prosecutor Alan Conrad QC told Mr Justice Coleman Treacy that the defence was not pursuing its application to dismiss the case at this stage.

He said: "It would be better for Your Lordship to have heard all the medical evidence before that matter is raised."

And Mr Meadowcroft confirmed: "I don't think you can properly consider all the facts until you have heard the medical evidence from both sides."

Mr Justice Treacy said he would dismiss the application 'without prejudice' – allowing the defence to make an application of 'no case to answer' once all the medical evidence had been heard during the trial.

The indictment was then put to Brough, who pleaded not guilty to murder and the case was adjourned for trial.

Brough - whose mother Carol has always insisted he is innocent - was remanded in custody.

The issue in the trial, which is due to begin at Stafford Crown Court on July 13, will be 'causation' – whether the injuries inflicted by Brough caused the death of Mrs Hopkinson in 2008.