Psycho Stapleton: In court, man charged with student murder

Mangalore Today / Mail

London, Jan 02, 2012: The man accused of shooting a student in the head on Boxing Day gave his first name as ‘Psycho’ when he appeared in court yesterday charged with murder.

 

 

Kiaran Stapleton, 20, who lives in the Ordsall neighbourhood of Salford where 23-year-old Anuj Bidve was killed, was asked his name when he appeared in the dock.

He replied: ‘Psycho. Psycho Stapleton.’

The clerk at Manchester City Magistrates’ court then tried to clarify by asking: ‘Are you Kiaran Stapleton?’

The defendant replied: ‘No. Psycho Stapleton.’

He was remanded in custody as police officers who had flown to India to meet Mr Bidve’s family apologised for delays in notifying them of his death and pledged to ensure his body is released to them as soon as possible.

Mr Bidve had been part of a group of Indian students from Lancaster University visiting Manchester over Christmas who are understood to have been on their way to queue for the Boxing Day sales.

They were walking through the tough Ordsall district at about 1.30am when Mr Bidve was shot at close range in the side of the head.

The apparently motiveless killing generated national and international shock, especially in the victim’s home country. Police last week said they were treating the killing as a ‘hate crime’ which may have been racially motivated.

Memory: Dozens of candles sit alongside a photograph of murdered Anuj Bidve during a candlelit vigil at the scene of his murder in Salford last night

Having twice given his name as ‘Psycho Stapleton’ to the court clerk, the defendant confirmed his date of birth.

Stapleton refused to stand in the dock, saying: ‘I prefer to be seated.’

He was remanded in custody to appear before a judge at Manchester Crown Court today. Mr Bidve’s father Subhash, a former Indian Air Force officer who now runs an air conditioning firm, has been critical of police for failing to notify him of the killing before he found out about it on Facebook.

The family have also appealed for his body to be released so Hindu funeral rites can be carried out.

Dignified: Friends of Anuj hold candles and photographs as they stage a rally near India Gate in new Delhi