Two men have appeared in court charged with murdering a 40-year-old man in Banbury on Sunday.

Mark Meadows, 24, of Rees Court, Banbury, and Travis Gorton, 19, of Well Bank, Hook Norton, each face allegations they murdered Keith Green on Sunday, February 13, and possession of a ‘large bladed hunting-style knife’.

Appearing before Oxford Magistrates’ Court this morning, each stood in the dock wearing grey tracksuits and spoke only to confirm their personal details.

Bearded Meadows’ shoulder-length dirty blond hair was untied. Gorton had close-cropped hair and a short goatee beard.

Police were called to a garden in Howard Road, Banbury late on Sunday night to reports of a stabbing.

Mr Green, 40, was pronounced dead at the scene. He died after suffering a stab wound to the chest.

Chairman of the bench James Macnamara remanded Meadows and Gorton in custody ahead of a hearing at Reading Crown Court on Monday.

He told the men: “You are being sent for trial to the crown court at Oxford although it will on Monday be sitting at Reading Crown Court for technical reasons. That is, on Monday 21st at 9.30am for a 10 o’clock start and you will attend there for a preliminary hearing.”

The hearing lasted four minutes and 41 seconds. Sat in the public gallery were two detectives from Thames Valley Police’s major crimes team.

Solicitors India Ferris appeared for Gorton, Angela Porter for Meadows. The Crown Prosecution Service was represented by Ann Sawyer-Brandish.

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