THREE men charged with the manslaughter of Sam Wilson in York have had their provisional trial date set.

Robbie Mark McHale, 19, Jack David Alexander, 20, and Linden Lee Smith, 20, are all charged with unlawfully killing Mr Wilson, who was involved in an allegedly-violent incident on Haxby Road before he was hit by a taxi in the early hours of October 11.

Smith attended a preliminary hearing at Leeds Crown Court today. McHale and Alexander appeared by video link from Hull Prison.

No pleas were offered and a date for a plea and case management hearing was set for December 30.

The Recorder of Leeds, Judge Peter Collier QC ordered the prosecution to serve the case papers by December 1, including an advocate’s summary setting out how the case is put against each defendant.

He was told the trial is expected to last between six to eight days and a provisional trial date was set for 23 March next year.

York Press: DEATH PROBE: Police at the scene of the incident in Haxby Road.

Police at the scene earlier this month

The defendants were told by the next hearing they must set out their case in a defence statement.

Smith, of Kirkham Avenue, Bell Farm, York had his conditional bail extended to the next hearing.

McHale of Fifth Avenue and Alexander of Fox Covert, Huntington, York were both remanded in custody.

Barrister Andrew Semple, who also appeared over a video link but from Grimsby Crown Court, was representing McHale and told the court a bail application would be made for him in due course to a judge in chambers.