By GARY FRY
A URANGA man has been ordered to stand trial, accused of murdering Armidale man, Douglas James Bindley, in a violent Christmas Eve attack.
Cecil Paul Briggs, 40, appeared in Armidale Local Court last Wednesday, via videolink.
He was committed to stand trial on one charge of murder.
Briggs is yet to formally enter any plea but waived his right to a committal hearing.
Crown prosecutor Peter Woods tendered a large quantity of evidence for the trial and told the court the case would head to the Armidale Supreme Court for callover, with a date yet to be fixed.
The trial is not likely to commence before March, 2014.
Briggs only spoke once in the brief appearance, to confirm he understood what was happening.
Briggs is accused of attacking 47-year-old Douglas Bindley with a bat and chair leg at Bindley’s Brown St unit in Armidale on Christmas Eve last year.
Bindley’s condition deteriorated in Armidale hospital on Christmas Day before he died on Boxing Day.
A baseball bat and wooden chair leg had been previously sent for forensic testing to determine if Briggs’ DNA profile was on the alleged weapons.
New technology was used to analyse the DNA results, causing a delay in proceedings.
Briggs remains in custody and did not apply for bail.
