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| Man charged with vicar's murder | Man charged with vicar's murder |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| A man has appeared in court charged with the murder of a vicar who was stabbed in the grounds of his church in the south Wales valleys. | A man has appeared in court charged with the murder of a vicar who was stabbed in the grounds of his church in the south Wales valleys. |
| Geraint David Evans, 23 and from the same village as the vicar, has appeared at Aberdare Magistrates Court. | Geraint David Evans, 23 and from the same village as the vicar, has appeared at Aberdare Magistrates Court. |
| Father Paul Bennett, 59, was killed at St Fagan's Church in Trecynon, near Aberdare, on Wednesday afternoon. | Father Paul Bennett, 59, was killed at St Fagan's Church in Trecynon, near Aberdare, on Wednesday afternoon. |
| Mr Evans has been remanded in custody until 23 March when he will appear at Crown Court in Merthyr Tydfil. | Mr Evans has been remanded in custody until 23 March when he will appear at Crown Court in Merthyr Tydfil. |
| The defendant, who has dark hair and a beard and who wore a black tracksuit top, spoke only to confirm his name and address during the brief hearing on Friday. | |
| No application for bail was made by his solicitor, Denny Bryant, and he was remanded in custody by magistrates' chairman Anthony Williams. | No application for bail was made by his solicitor, Denny Bryant, and he was remanded in custody by magistrates' chairman Anthony Williams. |
| Police had been called to the church at around 1450 GMT on Wednesday where they found the body of the father-of-two and where they recovered a knife. | Police had been called to the church at around 1450 GMT on Wednesday where they found the body of the father-of-two and where they recovered a knife. |
| The family of Father Bennett, who was married with a son, a daughter and a grandson, has released a tribute. | The family of Father Bennett, who was married with a son, a daughter and a grandson, has released a tribute. |
| They said: "Paul was a loyal son and a devoted husband, father and grandfather, who spent his whole life putting the thoughts and feelings of others ahead of his own. | They said: "Paul was a loyal son and a devoted husband, father and grandfather, who spent his whole life putting the thoughts and feelings of others ahead of his own. |
| "He lived his life for his people and cared deeper than anyone can imagine for his church. | "He lived his life for his people and cared deeper than anyone can imagine for his church. |
| "We loved him dearly and cannot imagine life without him. All we can hope and pray for is that he hasn't lost his life in vain." | "We loved him dearly and cannot imagine life without him. All we can hope and pray for is that he hasn't lost his life in vain." |