A MAN has appeared in court after being charged with murder following the death of a Droitwich pensioner.

Adam Leslie Mason appeared at Kidderminster Magistrates Court this morning and has been remanded in custody until August 12 for a pre-trial preparation hearing at Worcester Crown Court.

The 32-year-old, from Plough Lane, Tibberton, Droitwich, was arrested on suspicion of murder in the early hours of Monday morning and charged with murder on the evening of Wednesday, July 10.

The arrest follows the death of 80 year-old Desmond Wooding, who was found dead at his home in Vines Lane on June 2019.

A second man arrested for assisting an offender by impeding his apprehension or prosecution in a case of murder has been released on police bail.

Mr Wooding, who was 80 and lived alone, was found dead at his home at 8.20am on Monday, June 24.

On June 25 police released a CCTV image of a man seen in the area at the time, with an appeal for anyone who recognised him to get in touch.

On June 27, at a media briefing on the investigation, Superintendent Damian Pettit said: “This is an 80-year-old man, who has survived eight decades of life in peaceful harmony, who has been brutally attacked in his home where he should feel safest.”

He said Mr Wooding had last been seen alive early on Sunday evening, near to his house.

Police attended his home on the Monday morning after a neighbour called to say they were worried about Mr Wooding after noticing that lights had been left on in his home for some time.

Mr Wooding was well known for riding his mobility scooter around Droitwich and Supt Pettit said the pensioner had been going about his normal business the day before he was found dead.

“He had been out and about in Droitwich,” said Supt Pettit. “He was quite a large character in terms of personality – there are a lot of people in our community that will know Desmond and will recognise him.”