Man's murder charge over father's death is dropped

Prosecutors have said they will no longer pursue a murder conviction against a man who was accused of killing his father.

Police said Thomas Collier, 79, was found with a suspected head injury at a home in Philip Road, Witham, on 8 January and later died in hospital.

Jimmy Collier, 41, of the same address, has been in custody for more than six months charged with murder.

But the charge was downgraded at Chelmsford Crown Court, to assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

He did not enter a plea to the new charge and was remanded back into custody ahead of another preliminary hearing on 26 August.