Barmaid's family see her alleged killer for the first time at court hearing after the 21-year-old was found dead in house
Grieving relatives of Courtney Angus, 21, were accompanied by a police family liaison officer for the first appearance in crown court of suspected murderer Michael Doherty, 37.
The barmaid, who worked at the Fox and Hounds Pub, in Batley, was discovered dead at the end terrace property on Norfolk Street after odd-job man Doherty had been arrested by police for allegedly shoplifting electrical items from Asda and threatening staff with a knife.
Doherty is also alleged to have threatened two police officers with the bladed weapon.
Doherty - AKA Moore - is charged with the murder of Courtney at his home in Norfolk Street, Batley, West Yorkshire, on 26 July.
Appearing via video link from HMP Leeds, Doherty, 37, wearing a prison issue yellow and green jump suit answered 'no' when asked by the court clerk 'are you Michael Moore?'
Judge Tom Bayliss KC, after being informed by defence barrister Richard Wright KC that he uses another surname, asked him 'Are you Michael Doherty?' - to which he replied 'yes'.
No plea or indication of plea was taken and the case was listed for trial at Leeds Crown Court on 26 January 2026. No bail application was made and Doherty was remanded in custody.
It was the first time her family have been to court as they weren't at his first magistrates court hearing.
District Judge Charlotte Holland told him at the previous hearing on Wednesday that the murder offences and knife matters are too serious to be heard at magistrates' court.
Turning to Courtney's family sitting in the public gallery, Judge Bayliss told them today: 'Thank you very much for your attendance today. It must be a very difficult time for you, indeed.
'I'm sorry that it is so very formal here, but you would expect that, I'm sure.'
No cause of death for Courtney has yet been released.
Earlier this week, Courtney's family paid tribute to her, stating: 'Our lives have been shattered and turned upside down with the news that no parent wants to hear - that our gorgeous daughter and sister is no longer with us.
'Courtney had a beautiful soul. She was a lover of music, socialising and having fun. Her whole family is heartbroken over the loss of such an amazing woman.
'Courtney had many friends and family who loved her. She will be missed so dearly.
'We would like to thank the community and the media for their support, and ask for privacy at this difficult time.'
Staff at the Fox and Hounds also paid tribute, writing: 'We are heartbroken to hear the devastating news about Courtney.
'Though she was only with us at The Fox for a short while, she left a lasting impression - sweet, kind, and always with a warm smile.'
Father-of-three Doherty, who has worked as a labourer and recently started a window cleaning round, is charged with the murder of Courtney Angus on 26 July.
He is also charged with possession of a bladed article, two charges of threatening police officers with a bladed article, affray, shop theft from Asda of electrical items to value unknown, and threatening a member of Asda staff with a bladed article. All charges relate to 26 July.
Police said these charges relate to incidents in Dewsbury on the same day.
Doherty will next appear at Leeds Crown Court on 5 September for a plea and trial preparation hearing.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
12 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Trans rights protesters daub graffiti including 'child killer' on Wes Streeting's constituency office
Trans rights protesters have claimed responsibility for vandalising Wes Streeting 's constituency office. Police have launched an investigation after the Health Secretary's HQ in Ilford North had its windows smashed and the words 'child killer' daubed on the front in graffiti. Trans Bash Back, a 'trans-led direct action project', claimed responsibility for the stunt in a post on the BlueSky social media platform on Friday. Sharing a photo of the front of Mr Streeting's office shortly after it had been damaged, they wrote: 'Don't want action? Don't kill kids.' The MP for Ilford North has addressed the vandalism but did not reference the accusations made by the activists. 'From day one as Ilford North's MP I've had an accessible and visible constituency office to serve my local community,' he wrote on X. 'Repeated criminal damage is unfair to my staff and an attack on democracy. I will not be commenting further while there is a live police investigation.' Trans Bash Back describes itself as a 'non-violent direct action group' which takes 'risky, and rarely legal' action. On social media, the group has said it 'to sit and watch as trans young people have their healthcare stripped from them. 'We refuse to allow Streeting to cover up their suicides. We refuse to endure the violence and humiliation. They will have to go through us'. One local business owner told The Telegraph that 'glass was broken and there's paint everywhere'. 'It's happened a few times – he's only just had the window replaced,' they added. Mr Streeting has previously been clear about his stance on the gender debate. In an interview with Talk Radio last year, he said: 'Men have penises, women have vaginas; here ends my biology lesson.' A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: 'Police were called at 10.16 on Friday, Aug 1 to reports of criminal damage at an office in Woodford Avenue, IG4. 'Officers attended the scene, where they discovered that the address had been attacked with paint and the windows had been damaged. 'No one was injured.
Daily Mail
12 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Family man is named as murder victim found dead on riverside bench - as police continue to hunt killer
A man found dead on a riverside bench has been named by police as officers continue their hunt for the killer. The body of Robert Brown, 57, was discovered on the canal footpath near the River Nene, Northampton on Friday morning. Police offered their condolences to his family who are currently being assisted by specialist officers. Northamptonshire Police confirmed Mr Brown had been found 'fatally injured' on the bench, adding that he had suffered a wound to his arm. The exact cause of death has yet to be determined. A cordon remains in place around the scene, with the footpath closed off and the river closed to boats as searches take place. The River Nene is shut off to pedestrians and river traffic between London Road bridge and Nunn Mills Road bridge and will likely remain closed until Tuesday evening while the search takes place. Police are currently appealing for witnesses or CCTV footage of the nearby area, specifically from those living in apartments that overlook the river. On Sunday morning, a massive manhunt was launched into the incident, with house-to-house enquiries taking place and extra police patrols deployed to find his killer. Northamptonshire Police were called by East Midlands Ambulance Service at around 6.30pm on Friday after the man was discovered on a bench behind Auctioneers Court. Northamptonshire Police's Jen Lovatt said: 'This is an exceptionally sad incident and our thoughts and sincere condolences remain with Robert's family, who continue to be supported by specially trained officers. 'His death has understandably also had a big impact on the neighbourhood and wider community, and we would like to thank them for their support while officers continue to carry out searches at the scene, as well as those who have helped with our investigation. 'A dedicated team of officers is working around the clock to establish exactly what happened to Robert. 'A forensic post mortem examination carried out yesterday, Saturday, August 2, found that Robert sustained a wound to his arm. 'However, the exact cause of death is unascertained at this stage. 'We have already spoken with a number of people as part of our ongoing inquiries but we are continuing to appeal for anyone who may have information, who we haven't yet spoken with, to come forward. 'If you were in the area around Auctioneers Court or the riverbank in that area, overnight on Thursday 31 July to Friday 1 August, and you saw or heard anything that you think may be relevant to the investigation, please get in touch. 'We are also keen to hear from local residents, especially those who live in the apartments that overlook the river and the area near to where Robert was found. 'If you or anyone you know has any camera footage, from between approximately 7.30 pm on Thursday, July 31 and 7am on Friday, August 1, or any other information that may assist the investigation, please contact us as soon as possible. 'Likewise, if you think you may have seen or interacted with Robert during this time, we want to hear from you. 'Any information, no matter how small, can help us piece together exactly what happened.'
The Sun
12 minutes ago
- The Sun
Our benefits street is like a slum… people flog sex at all hours & I strung up wall of dead rats to deter druggies
DODGING a squashed rat, a young man and woman race each other on mobility scooters, while the distinctive smell of weed momentarily interrupts the putrid stench of decaying rubbish. Meanwhile mountains of black bin liners are strewn across streets, many of which spew their contents onto the pavements, while piles of mattresses, fridge freezers and sofas congregate in back alleys. 17 17 17 This is Eastwood, an area of Rotherham in South Yorkshire branded 'lawless' by desperate locals, some of whom claim it's become a total no-go area at night due to escalating issues with anti-social behaviour, drugs and loud parties. The problem is so bad that a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) issued by the council in 2019 has now been extended to 2028 - with demands that residents refrain from street drinking and partying until the small hours, dumping rubbish on the streets, and bring in their wheelie bins to curb the ever-expanding rodent population. Locals say they have been battling for months to keep the vermin under control - with one desperate man stringing up a line of 20 carcasses on a fence to show the council the harrowing extent of the problem. Father-of-two Andrew Wilshaw, 45, tells The Sun when we visit: 'This used to be a great area but in the past 10 years it has gone downhill before my eyes. 'I am doing my best to help it. We didn't have much but we had standards. Now it's more like a third world country.' The main streets covered by the PSPO are Fitwilliam Road, the Doncaster Road corridor, Eldon Road and the stretch up to the Mushroom roundabout. South Yorkshire Police records showed anti-social behaviour incidents in the area had "increased steadily" since the order was last renewed, with 568 reports between 2021-2024. A total of 60 Fixed Penalty Notices have been issued since the order was introduced in 2019 - though we witnessed several violations on our visit alone. Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council does try to keep up with demand by making clear-up trips six days a week - but still the rubbish piles up. Andrew, who works in security, now patrols the area every Monday morning taking photos documenting the damage from the weekend in an attempt to help clean up his community. I live in UK's saddest council estate with 'carpet' of 800 vodka bottles… it makes Shameless look like The Borrowers He set up the Facebook group How Clean in Eastwood, which has 800 members. Andrew - who took us around the areas in our car fearing we'd be a target if we walked around with expensive camera equipment - says: 'I started posting the sights and rubbish I saw on my own Facebook page but it blew up, so I set up the dedicated page around a year ago. 'The idea is that we shame the council into action, because the PSPOs they have in place do nothing. 'A lot of people will get me to post their photos for them because they're too scared of reprisals to do it themselves. 'All the people who used to care have had enough and moved out. Most of those left living in this mayhem are the elderly. It's awful. 'I moved in with my ill parents a bit further up the road around 10 years ago and managed to sell my house in the thick of the problem area. 'I thank God that happened because I wouldn't get anything for it now.' 'Wall of Rats' 17 17 17 Petty crime and the brazen dumping of rubbish - which is fuelling a surging population of rodents - is blighting the lives of many Eastwood residents we speak to. Granddad-of-11 Dave Russell, 74, created a 'Wall of Rats' with some of his kills. He explains: 'The rats used to be lined all across but the birds have been eating them. 'I did it to show the council how bad it is for us. This is what we live with. 'It also stops the local druggies coming here and using it as a place to hang about. 'My garden fence is topped with barbed wire to stop burglars after our shed was broken into a few years back. We also have CCTV. The rats used to be lined all across but the birds have been eating them. I did it to show the council how bad it is for us. This is what we live with Dave Russell 'You can't have your back door open for fear you'll get a rat in your house. You see them darting across your garden all the time. 'I catch three or four every day. I used to leave live traps and then kill them by drowning them - the snapper traps leave a bit of a mess. 'I have started laying down poison, it's £9 for a pack of 20 - in the past three months I've used two tubs. But still we have so many, it does nothing to keep the numbers down. 'Nobody should have to live like this, we are constantly bleaching and cleaning because rats are full of disease.' Father-of-one Mohammed Khan, 34, has had to replace his Mitsubishi Outlander 4x4 car three times after rats got inside and chewed wires. He says: 'They're rampant. I'd say I've spent around £25- £30,000 on cars over the last couple of years. 'Once they've got in and eaten the foam that's it, your car is done for. 'I spend around £80 a month on pest control to try and make my garden safe for my child but really you can't let your kid play outside in this. 'It's far too dangerous. Even if you don't see a rat, there is poo left behind.' 'Lawless' 17 17 17 17 Resident Kaz Gunn, 55, refuses to move from the estate even though she's had to get her door replaced twice from thugs constantly bashing it. Kaz, who suffers with osteoporosis, says: 'I always speak out and take photos of people throwing rubbish, but then I make myself a target. 'Anybody who passes my door will always make sure to give it a good thud on their way by. It's quite alarming and I am scared, but I refuse to budge. 'I may be small and skinny but I won't take any crap. 'To make it even worse the whole place floods when we get plenty of rain because the drains are all blocked. 'We are living in a hellhole. It's lawless, the number of rats is immense, the streets are covered with them at night, and the parties that go on until 6am on a weekend are a nightmare. We are living in a hellhole. It's lawless, the number of rats is immense, the streets are covered with them at night, and the parties that go on until 6am on a weekend are a nightmare Kaz Gunn 'The noise here is awful. We get noise abatement people out to take measurements every so often but nothing is ever done about it. 'It's also mobility scooter central. I'd love to have a mobility scooter but can't get one for love nor money, but loads of people have them round here.' Kaz points out a woman zipping by holding a bag of shopping in one hand while gripping the handlebar and a phone pressed to her ear in her other. 'She's not disabled,' Kaz says. 'She's a mum-of-two who lives over there. 'You also get people coming to your door trying to sell you stuff. I've had somebody try and sell my cat to me before, then a fella started breeding kittens to get money so now you see more cats than ever. 'Another fella was trying to sell a wheelie bin which he'd obviously nicked from somebody else's house. 'As much as I'm terrified, I also have a lot of friends here who look out for me. I have CCTV to protect me.' 'Heartbreaking' 17 17 Bar the odd corner shop and a new play park for kids, there is not much to do in the PSPO catchment, with cafes and pubs long gone. Despite it being the school summer holidays, the streets are void of children playing. Though pushchairs are a regular feature outside the dishevelled terraced houses, Andrew tells us they are primarily used to transport waste. 'You see so many prams outside the houses - they look innocent enough but they're actually for the people to pile high with rubbish and take it to be dumped. It's crazy,' he says. 'There are a couple of fellas around here who have vans and operate as the local skip. They take loads of rubbish and dump it. 'We know who these people are yet nothing is done. 'Somebody set fire to some rubbish piled outside an old fella's home just last week and it killed all 90 of his pigeons. Somebody set fire to some rubbish piled outside an old fella's home just last week and it killed all 90 of his pigeons Andrew Wilshaw 'And you certainly can't have anything in your garden or it will get nicked. It's heartbreaking. 'Every so often there will be a power cut because of all the power being used to grow cannabis in some houses. "It's not fair because Eastwood was already a working class area and we've now become a dumping ground for people and rubbish. 'Sometimes I wonder why I keep doing this but then somebody in their 80s will come to me with concerns and fears, and I keep going.' He adds: 'It's not great to walk around here during the day but you'd be insane to come here at night. 'Each night there will be around 40 Slovakian Roma people drinking in the park. 'The council stupidly put around a dozen benches there so it makes the problem worse, and even the police don't come here. If they did there'd be hell. 'You get accosted at all hours by people asking, 'Do you want anything?' This can be drugs or sex.' 'Getting worse' 17 17 17 17 Eastwood is a melting pot of ethnicities, with a big Asian population who migrated in the 70s, and a large Slovakian Roma population that has increased over the past decade. Thirty-five languages are spoken at Eastwood's St Ann's Primary school. One Roma mum-of-four, 36, who did not wish to be named, tells us: 'We are always to blame for all the rubbish but people come from outside in big vans and dump it. It is not us. 'I do not see so much wrong with all being out together in the street. We like to be together.' Another resident who did not wish to be named says: 'It is easy to put some of the blame onto the Roma families but the real problem is the landlords. 'The homeowners who moved out are now the landlords and they allow their tenants to do what they want and let them live in horrendous conditions.' Private landlords in Eastwood have to comply with Selective Licensing, a scheme put in place from 2020 to 2025 to make sure landlords maintain certain conditions and are subject to council checks. It is waiting to be renewed. 'On paper Selective Licensing and PSPOs are wonderful, but if nobody is enforcing them then they're not going to work,' the man continued. 'Something should have been done about Eastwood a long time ago. Instead it has been left to rack and ruin and it's getting worse. 'Private landlords hand over their properties with not so much as a tenancy agreement. 'Everybody here is on benefits. Apparently many houses have their meters rigged up for gas and electricity and nobody bats an eyelid. 'The amount of nice cars around here when nobody is working is phenomenal. They're all mobility cars. ' Drinking in the street is a major problem, and people chucking their furniture into the street is standard. 'But if you ring the council, they say you need to ring the police, and they tell you to ring the council, and you go round in circles. 'It's intolerable. We shouldn't be living like this. These are 100-year-old terraces and the best thing for them would be to knock them all down.' 'Eastwood deserves better' Rotherham Council's Assistant Director of Regeneration and Environment, Sam Barstow, tells The Sun: 'We are committed to keeping the borough clean and welcoming. 'The waste team visit Eastwood on weekdays to clear all the litter bins and general waste. 'Additionally, a weekend team carry out bin clearance and attend to any fly-tipping, making a total of six visits. 'If we have reports of flytipping of larger items like mattresses or fridge freezers, we make additional visits, which is currently averaging around four occasions per week. 'Between April 2024 and June 2025, we have issued 164 flytipping warning letters and took enforcement action over 21 flytipping cases in Eastwood. 'We also issued 291 written Community Protections Warnings, leading to 56 Community Protection Notices for unremoved waste in gardens. 'During the same period, 888 littering tickets were issued in the area. "Since 2023 the Council has received 325 complaints about noise in Eastwood which has resulted in 316 enforcement actions. Every case is investigated, and action is taken where evidence allows. 'By engaging with the community through targeted mailouts to promote responsible waste disposal, we're working together to reduce waste and make a lasting, positive impact on the environment we all share. 'Concerns about rats or rubbish, or anti-social behaviour relating to a domestic property should be reported to the council. 'Where the anti-social behaviour relates to problems associated with activities on the street, such as drinking and gatherings of groups, then the Police should be contacted.' Labour Cllr of Rotherham East, Angham Ahmed, says:"Eastwood continues to face a number of ongoing challenges, and we understand that many residents are increasingly frustrated by persistent issues such as fly-tipping and anti-social behaviour, often caused by a small minority of individuals. "These actions not only damage the environment but also undermine the pride that so many of us take in our community. "We are working closely with the local council, police, and community partners to keep Eastwood safe and clean. This includes daily street cleaning, CCTV monitoring, and taking firm enforcement action -including fines - against those who break the rules. "The introduction of the Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) has made it clearer what is and isn't acceptable in our shared public spaces, giving authorities more power to respond when those standards are ignored. "We also recognise that some residents, particularly those who have more recently arrived in the UK, may not yet be familiar with local expectations. That's why we continue to work with local community groups to support integration, raise awareness, and help everyone feel part of the community. "Ultimately, we expect all residents, regardless of background, to take responsibility and do their bit to help maintain a safe, respectful and welcoming neighbourhood. "As a local resident myself, I witness these challenges firsthand and understand the strength of feeling across our community. Eastwood deserves better, and we are committed to working together to create a cleaner, safer, and more respectful place for all who live here." The Sun has reached out to South Yorkshire Police for comment.
