Train murder accused appears in court

A man accused of stabbing to death a father who was on a train with his teenage son said he was “innocent until proven guilty” as he appeared in court.

Darren Shane Pencille, 35, is charged with the murder of Lee Pomeroy, 51, and possessing an offensive weapon.

Mr Pomeroy, who lived in Guildford and owned an IT firm, was travelling towards London with his 14-year-old son on Friday afternoon when he was attacked.

A manhunt led detectives to a flat in Farnham on Saturday morning and they made two arrests.

Pencille appeared in the dock at Staines Magistrates’ Court on Monday wearing glasses and a prison-issue grey tracksuit.

He stood in the dock to confirm his name, date of birth and that he was British, telling magistrates he had no address during a hearing lasting just over two minutes.

Pencille then addressed magistrates from his seat, telling them: “Innocent until proven guilty.”

He said: “I’m paranoid. I’m hearing voices.”

Pencille did not enter pleas and chair of the bench Helen Mattey remanded him in custody to appear at Guildford Crown Court on Monday afternoon.

Chelsea Mitchell, from Willbury Road, in Farnham, who is charged with assisting an offender, will appear before magistrates later.

Mr Pomeroy, who would have celebrated his 52nd birthday on Saturday, was described by his family as “an honourable man and would always help somebody who was in trouble”.

In a statement, the family said he was a cultured man, who loved his 50-year-old wife Svetlana Pomeroy.

“He was a devoted family man and did everything for his family,” they said.

Mr Pomeroy and his son boarded the 12.58pm train service between Guildford and London Waterloo at London Road station on Friday afternoon.

Police believe a brief row broke out leading to Mr Pomeroy’s death.