Two men accused of stabbing a father with a “heart of gold” to death in a Northampton park are set to face trial in January.
Daniel Larman and Kieran Okocha-Sleight, both 21 and of Woodside Way, Northampton, are charged with murder and possession of a knife in connection with the death of 30-year-old Thomas Boom, known as Tommy.
Mr Boom, a father-of-one, died in Millers Meadow – known locally as Semilong Park – shortly after midnight on Thursday July 18, after suffering stab wounds, Northamptonshire Police said.
The defendants were arrested in Birmingham and were charged on Monday.
Larman appeared at Northampton Crown Court for a short preliminary hearing in person on Wednesday, while Okocha-Sleight appeared via video link from HMP Bedford.
Neither was asked to enter any pleas, with a date for a plea hearing set for August 19 ahead of a provisional trial date of January 6 next year.
Prosecutor Gordon Aspden KC told Judge Adrienne Lucking KC he expected a trial would last 10-12 days.
Judge Lucking remanded Larman and Okocha-Sleight into custody but ordered that they both appear in court in person for their plea hearing next month.
In a tribute released through Northamptonshire Police, Mr Boom’s family described him as a “loveable” character with a “heart of gold”.
They said: “We moved to Northampton from East London when Tommy was about 10, and although he was painfully shy as a youngster, he loved the outdoors and his social life. As a teenager he’d complain that school got in the way of his social life.
“Tommy was such a loveable character with a heart of gold and had lots of friends. He loved his daughter so much. It breaks our hearts that they will not have that chance to create a lifetime of memories together.
“We are a close family, and both (mum and dad) come from big families, who played a huge part in his life, especially when we were still living in Canning Town . Having to tell them that he’d been killed, ripped our world apart.
“We saw a different side of Tommy, one which he rarely showed to others. He was kind and could be quite sensitive, but he loved life and socialising. He had the most beautiful smile – it would always light up the room.
“ Fitness was an absolute passion of his along with going to the gym, but he was also a foodie – loved to cook, looking for new recipes and of, course, eating. He could eat a three-course meal but still have room for a midnight snack.
“As a family we still feel numb about what has happened, it just doesn’t feel real that he is dead. It has just absolutely destroyed us.
“Reading all the tributes on social media along with the cards and flowers at Semilong Park has provided some source of comfort. It’s been nice to see how loved he was by other people and how he will be sadly missed by everyone who knew him.”
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