Man accused of stabbing woman in neck appears in court charged with murder

A man accused of stabbing a woman in the neck in Birmingham has appeared in court charged with her murder after the victim died of her injuries.

Djeison Rafael appeared at Birmingham Magistrates Court on Monday morning, accused of murdering Katie Fox, who was stabbed on Smallbrook Queensway shortly before 9pm on November 7.

Wearing a grey T-shirt and flanked by two dock officers who removed his handcuffs as he faced District Judge John Bristow, Rafael was told to be quiet and look forward as he interrupted the six-minute hearing multiple times.

The 21-year-old, of Rosedale Avenue in Smethwick, is also charged with two counts of causing actual bodily harm on October 27 and November 7, possession of a Stanley blade on November 7 and assaulting a detention escort officer on November 8.

Rafael was told he was not going to be asked to enter any pleas because the offences are too serious to be dealt with by the magistrates’ court.

District Judge Bristow told the defendant: “I’m going to send you and your charges to the crown court on November 12.”

West Midlands Police want to hear from anyone who knows more about what happened or the movements of Rafael, who they described as a black British national.

They believe he was wearing an all-grey tracksuit, black hat, trainers and rucksack on Friday evening.

The force previously said the victim, aged 34, was taken to hospital with a serious neck injury but died of her injuries.