Man admits attacking and killing pensioner at Garforth bus stop
A 23-year-old man has admitted attacking and killing a pensioner at a bus stop.
Thomas Childe appeared at Leeds Crown Court this afternoon where he admitted the manslaughter of Colin Starbuck in Garforth in October last year.
He was originally charged with murder, but his guilty plea to the lesser charge of manslaughter was accepted by the Crown.
A preliminary murder-trial date of April 21 was consequently vacated.
Childe, who appeared in court over a video link from HMP Leeds, will now undergo a lengthy psychological evaluation and be returned to court on May 22 to be sentenced.
He was remanded back into custody.
Police were called by the ambulance service at 6.35pm on October 29 to reports that a man had been found seriously injured at the bus stop on Aberford Road in Garforth, next to the town’s larger Tesco store.
Members of the public had tried to help before ambulance crews arrived.
Mr Starbuck was taken to hospital where he was sadly pronounced dead.
An 18-year-old man was initially arrested on suspicion of murder following the reported assault at the bus stop.
Childe, of Oak Crescent, Garforth, was later arrested and charged.
The teenager was bailed pending further inquiries.