Mother to stand trial for murder of son in Camber

Lesley Dunford pleaded guilty to the murder of her seven-month-old son Harley at a hearing in January saying she did not want to travel to court every day for a trial.

However, at a hearing before Mr Justice Singh at the Old Bailey today (Friday, February 19) defence counsel for the 37-year-old applied to have her plea of guilty to murder vacated – withdrawn.

Dunford, of Windermere Close, Exeter, had pleaded guilty at Lewes Crown Court on January 29 to the murder of Harley at the family’s then address in Pelwood Road, Camber, on August 27, 2003.

The application to have the guilty plea withdrawn was granted today and a plea of not guilty was entered.

She is now due to appear in custody for trial at Lewes Crown Court on Monday, April 11.

Dunford was jailed for seven years in June, 2012, for the manslaughter of her three-year-old daughter Lucy in 2004.

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