Men charged with murder of Joshua Bains in Northampton appear at court

Jerome Smikle, 27, of St Leonard's Road, Far Cotton, and 25-year-old Kayongo Shuleko, from Edmonton, north London, were charged with the murder of Joshua Bains at Northampton Crown Court today (October 22).

They are also charged with possession of firearms.

Joshua Bains, 28, was found with serious injuries in Webb Drive, Upton, on at around 9pm on October 4. He died shortly after.

A cause of death has been given as a gunshot wound to the chest.

Smikle and Shuleko were arrested in a Northamptonshire Police operation in The Mounts on Friday night.

Today, the pair were remanded in custody and will appear in Northampton Crown Court this Wednesday (October 24).

DCI Ally White, of the East Midlands Special Operations Unit (EMSOU) Major Crime team, said: “We are still appealing for witnesses to the incident on October 4 in Upton and, in addition, we are seeking information from the public who may have seen the drivers of a Vauxhall Astra and a Ford Focus acting suspiciously in the village of Norton, near Daventry, shortly afterwards.

“Anyone with information is asked to call Northamptonshire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers, in confidence, on 0800 555111.”

A 22-year-old Northampton man, Lewis Carmody, was remanded in custody on October 10, charged with assisting an offender, in connection with the murder of Mr Bains.

See who has been sentenced at Northampton Magistrates' Court here