Boy, 14, denies murdering father in ‘neighbourhood noise row’ in Chingford

James Markham suffered fatal injuries in Churchill Terrace

(Picture: PA)

A 14-year-old boy has denied murdering a father-of-three who was stabbed to death in a confrontation outside his Chingford home.

James Markham, 45, suffered fatal injuries in Churchill Terrace after challenging a group of teenagers for shouting and swearing at the back of his home.

The teenager accused of killing Mr Markham appeared at the Old Bailey on Tuesday to plead not guilty to charges of murder and possession of a knife in a public place.

Mr Markham’s wife Candice and his daughter were in court this afternoon to see the teen enter his pleas.

“It was a knife attack in broad daylight, in front of members of the public”, prosecutor Louise Oakley told a previous hearing, describing the murder charge.

Mr Markham was stabbed in the neck and to the left side of his body at around 6.20pm on August 9. He died at the scene around an hour later, despite desperate efforts to save him.

The alleged killer’s parents watched on as their son entered his not guilty pleas on Tuesday afternoon.

Judge Anuja Dhir QC remanded the 14-year-old boy into custody until a ten-day trial, which is due to start on June 27 next year.