Man Remanded In Custody Over Mother's Murder

29 March 2011, 11:46 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

A man was remanded in custody today (29th March) when he appeared in court charged with murdering his elderly mother.

The body of 78-year-old Brenda James was found by specialist police search teams in woodland on the sprawling Goodwood Estate near Chichester, West Sussex, last Thursday.

Sussex Police said a post-mortem examination revealed she died from a 'head injury caused by a weapon'.

Her son, Neale James, 50, of Vinetrow Road, Chichester, appeared for a brief preliminary hearing at Lewes Crown Court.

Dressed in a grey sweatshirt he spoke only to confirm his name and did not enter a plea.

He was remanded in custody to appear at the same court for a plea and case management hearing on June 3.

A second man - a 46-year-old, from Ipswich, Suffolk - remains in custody after being arrested on suspicion of Mrs James's murder on Sunday evening, police said.

Mrs James, who lived at Lakeside Caravan Park in Chichester, was described as extremely popular with a wide circle of friends whom she met regularly to play bridge and enjoy other hobbies.

In a statement released through police last week, her daughter, Nicole James, said her family had been left 'devastated' by her death.

She added: "Her untimely death has been a shock to us all and we are at a loss for words to describe how we feel. We miss her."