Michael Doherty appears in court charged with murder of Courtney Angus

A man has appeared in court charged with the murder of a woman in West Yorkshire.

Courtney Angus, who was 21 and from Dewsbury, was found dead at a property in Norfolk Street, Batley, on Saturday evening.

Michael Doherty appeared at Leeds Magistrates’ Court earlier, where he was remanded in custody to appear at Leeds Crown Court on Friday.

Wearing grey clothing, Mr Doherty, who police previously named as Michael Moore, spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and address, and to say that he understood the charges against him.

The 37-year-old has also been charged with possession of a bladed article, affray and threatening two police officers with a bladed article in a public place.

District Judge Charlotte Kate Holland told the defendant the charges against him were too serious to be heard at a magistrates’ court before sending the case to the city’s crown court.

The hearing was told Mr Doherty, of Norfolk Street in Batley, had also been charged with theft of electrical goods of an unknown value from the Asda Superstore in Dewsbury on Saturday, as well as threatening a person with a bladed article.

Those charged were unrelated to the other four, District Judge Holland said.

Mr Doherty gave no indication of how he would plead to the either-way offences of theft and threatening a person with a bladed article, which could be dealt with at either a crown court or by a magistrate.