Jo Cox murder suspect Thomas Mair refuses to enter plea over Labour MP's killing

Judge rules court should record not guilty plea

Jo Cox in Commons (PA)

The man accused of murdering Labour MP Jo Cox has refused to enter a plea as he appeared in court charged with her killing.

Thomas Mair, appearing at the Old Bailey via a videolink from Belmarsh Prison, remained silent with his arms folded when the murder charge was put to him.

After a long pause, Mair, 53, was asked to confirm that he could hear what was being said.

When Mair replied “yes”, the judge Mr Justice Wilkie ruled that the court should record a not guilty plea.

The process was then repeated three times with Mair, of Birstall, West Yorkshire, answering to confirm he could hear the proceedings in the Old Bailey courtroom, but remaining silent when three further charges - of having a firearm with intent, having an offensive weapon (a dagger) and causing grievous bodily harm to Bernard Carter-Kenny - were put to him.

As Ms Cox's sister Kim Leadbeater watched from the public gallery, the court recorded not guilty pleas on all of the charges.

Mair was remanded in custody and is due to face trial on November 14.

Ms Cox, 41, died after an incident outside her constituency surgery in Birstall in June.