A pair have appeared before court accused of assisting Didcot killers Brookton Lagan and Taison Cyrille.

The men were sentenced to life imprisonment last year for fatally stabbing dad-of-three Darren MacCormick in the Oxfordshire town in January 2020.

And on Friday , Aiysha Lazereg and Zarahn Zaman, both 20, appeared before Oxford Crown Court accused of assisting Lagan and Cyrille between January 8 and 11 last year by giving them clothing, money and travel documents.

Prosecutors claim Zaman also bought a mobile phone that had been in Lagan’s possession at the time of Mr MacCormick’s murder. He is said to have retained and used the device between January 8 and February 5 last year.

Zaman, of Fullers Slade, Milton Keynes, pleaded not guilty to assisting an offender and perverting the course of justice. Lazereg, of Downhead Park, Milton Keynes, denied a single count of assisting an offender.

Judge Ian Pringle QC bailed the defendants to return to Oxford Crown Court on May 24 next year for their trial. The case is expected to last five days.

In December last year, Lagan and Cyrille were each given life sentences and ordered to serve a minimum term of 19 years in prison after a jury found them guilty of Mr MacCormick’s murder. A third man was acquitted of murder, wounding with intent and supplying drugs.

Keep up to date with all the latest news on our website, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

For news updates straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.

Have you got a story for us? Contact our newsdesk on news@nqo.com or 01865 425 445.