Roger Leadbetter: Court hears woman, 32, charged with murder of Yorkshire dog walker died by suicide in prison

Emma Borowy was being held in HMP New Hall near Wakefield ahead of her trial for the murder of Sheffield City Council worker Roger Leadbetter, 74, last August.

Mr Leadbetter, who drove buses to special schools, was fatally stabbed in a small park in the Westfield area while walking his springer spaniel. The dog, Max, remained with his body until emergency services arrived.

South Yorkshire Police had already confirmed that Borowy died in custody on December 12, and on Monday morning legal teams involved in the case appeared at Sheffield Crown Court where the proceedings were formally closed. No other suspect is being sought in relation to Mr Leadbetter’s death and the police investigation has also been closed.

Recorder Jeremy Richardson KC confirmed that Borowy had been due to stand trial next July after an initial start date in January was vacated.

Recorder Richardson said he had ‘concerns’ likely to be shared by the coroner at inquest that in a court hearing on November 27, he had been told that Borowy was unfit to stand trial and needed transfer to a mental health facility for treatment that would enable her to take part in the trial. He had agreed to adjourn the January trial to allow this to take place, and was told that there had since been regular contact between her team of solicitors and HMP New Hall, where she died.

Prosecution counsel Peter Makepeace KC confirmed that Borowy’s death was suspected to be a suicide and that a report had been prepared by the deputy governor of the prison. The December 18 hearing had initially been scheduled to discuss the progress of the transfer to a secure hospital.

The circumstances of Mr Leadbetter’s death and Borowy’s involvement will now be dealt with by an inquest likely to take place next year. Recorder Richardson has arranged for transcripts of the previous court hearing to be passed to the coroner.

Borowy was living in Bolton prior to the incident.