A 33-year-old man has appeared in court charged with murdering a 74-year-old retired dock worker in an alleged attempted robbery outside his Ipswich address almost three years ago.

Rhys Burroughs appeared in custody, on video link from prison, before Suffolk Magistrates' Court and Ipswich Crown Court on Thursday afternoon.

Burroughs, formerly of Colchester Road, Ipswich, has been charged with the attempted robbery of Clive Wyard on July 20, 2018, and with his murder.

Mr Wyard was found collapsed on his driveway in Valley Road at 7.15am on Friday, July 20, 2018.

The retired Felixstowe dock worker was taken to Ipswich Hospital but died 12 days later.

Mr Wyard, a grandfather-of-nine, had left the Royal George pub shortly after midnight and made the 20-minute walk to his home, near the junction of Westerfield Road.

He had sustained injuries to his head and face, including black eyes, a split cleft lip, a further cut to his lip, a deep cut to his cheek and other cuts to his body.

A post mortem examination concluded that Mr Wyard died as a result of a severe head injury, having sustained a skull fracture and a bleed on the brain.

In March, Suffolk police announced that Burroughs had been summonsed to appear before Suffolk Magistrates’ Court to be formally charged with murder and attempted robbery.

Magistrates sent the matter straight to the crown court, where Burroughs appeared shortly afterwards for another hearing before Judge Martyn Levett on Thursday afternoon.

Judge Levett set a date for a plea and trial preparation hearing to take place on August 6, with a provisional trial date set for January 11, 2022.

The inquiry into Mr Wyard's death was conducted by the joint major investigation team at Suffolk and Norfolk police.

The investigation led to approval from the Crown Prosecution Service to bring charges against Burroughs.

Speaking on the two-year anniversary of Mr Wyard's death in July 2020, his children, Jo, Des and Jackie, said: "It is a struggle to find the words that can express how much we continue to be devastated by our dad’s death.

“To everyone that knew him, he was a gentle, humble, loving, patient and selfless man, who always gave without expecting anything in return."