A MAN has been charged with murder after the death of a Christian charity worker, Chris Marriott, in Sheffield last week.
Hassan Jhangur, aged 23, of Whiteways Road, Sheffield, appeared in Sheffield Crown Court on Tuesday, after being charged with murder and five counts of attempted murder.
The trial date was set for 15 July, and His Honour Judge Graham Reeds told the court that he expected the trial to last for four weeks. Mr Jhangur’s defence counsel, Richard Davies, said that there was an indication that Mr Jhangur would plead not guilty, the BBC reported. A plea and trial-preparation hearing have been set at the same court for 25 March.
Mr Marriott, aged 46, died after a car collided with a group of people in College Close, in the inner-city district of Burngreave, Sheffield, on Wednesday afternoon last week.
South Yorkshire Police said that Mr Marriott had been enjoying a family walk with his wife and two young sons when he reportedly saw a woman lying unconscious in the street. “Chris left his family and stopped to provide first aid to the woman, before a car then collided with him, the woman, and a number of others. Chris was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.”
The police described him as a “Good Samaritan”.
His family said in a statement last week: “The circumstances of his death, although tragic and unfathomable to us his family, show the sort of man he was — to go to help rather than to turn away. Chris was also a man of faith who wanted others to also experience the joy he had found trusting in Jesus. We take comfort in these most difficult of times in our belief that he is with his Lord and Saviour, while we mourn his loss.”
Mr Marriott was a member of City Church, Sheffield, which is part of the New Frontiers network. A statement from the church said that Mr Marriott had been “a loved and valued part of our community for a long time and his loss will be felt by many”.
Mr Marriott had worked most recently as IT manager for the debt charity Community Money Advice. A statement from the charity praised his “kindness, work ethic, [and] generosity”. The Christian charity Jubilee+, with which he had worked, also paid tribute.
The Bishop of Doncaster, the Rt Revd Sophie Jelley, expressed her sadness at the news of Mr Marriott’s death. She wrote on social media: “Praying for the deep comfort of the God he loved & served, for his wife, young boys & all who loved him.”
A GoFundMe page has been set up to raise funds to support Mr Marriott’s family. It has raised more than £40,000.