A YOUNG woman wept as she appeared in court charged with assisting two men accused of the murder of Mirfield man Josh Hirst.
Kirstie Rainford, 22, of Springbank Drive, Liversedge, appeared in custody before magistrates in Huddersfield yesterday charged with two counts of assisting an offender.
The court was told two co-accused, Joe Church, 21, and Arron Smith, 22, have been charged with murder and remanded in custody. They are due to appear at Leeds Crown Court today.
Mr Hirst, 20, died from stab wounds after the attack near Hepworth Lane, Mirfield, late last Friday.
Prosecutor Carole Lawford told the court: “It is the crown’s case that she assisted the two accused by supplying them with clothes and credit cards.”
Defending Rainford, Mr Simon Lindley told the court his client had never been in trouble before, was in employment and had an address outside Mirfield at which to live.
He said: “This is a young lady who is petrified of where she finds herself. She is under new illusions by what she has been tied to.”
Chairman of the bench Santokh Khangura told Rainford: “We have decided to grant you conditional bail.”
But he continued to warn her not to contact five named witnesses or the two co-accused by any means possible.
He reiterated: “That means any communication, be it phone, text messages, Twitter.
“Even if they contact you, you must report this to the police. Do you understand?
“These conditions are necessary. Make sure you attend court and do not interfere with witnesses.
“If you don’t you will be arrested and brought back to court and you could be remanded in custody.”
Conditions of bail include residing at a relative’s home in Dewsbury and to report at the police station three times a week.
She will next appear before Leeds Crown Court on August 15.
Both Smith and Church will appear at Leeds Crown Court today.
