A man has appeared in court to deny the murder of a pensioner who died days after a house fire in the West Midlands.
John Edwards, 82, and three others were left seriously injured following a fire at an address in Holyhead Road, Wednesbury, in the early hours of May 11 and Mr Edwards died in hospital on May 25.
Appearing at Wolverhampton Crown Court via video-link from HMP Birmingham on Friday, Andrew Gorrell, 53, denied murdering Mr Edwards and a charge of arson with intent to endanger life.
He also pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempted murder relating to Doreen Edwards, Mark Edwards and Carl Edwards.
Gorrell, of Moss Grove in Saltney, Flintshire, wearing a black jacket and grey tracksuit bottoms, sat behind a table with his hands clasped in his lap for the hearing.
Judge Simon Ward set a provisional date for a trial lasting eight days as January 28 2026 and said a pre-trial hearing would take place on November 7.
He told the defendant, who stood up as the judge addressed him: “When it comes to your trial, you need to be here. I have no reason to believe you would say ‘I’m not coming’.
“You remain in custody. You work with your lawyers to make sure the case is ready.”
