Two men have denied taking part in a north Essex doorstep killing.

David Taylor and Peter Jones will now join three others accused of the killing of 22-year-old John Ward.

He died on the doorstep of his mother's St Osyth home on March 21 last year.

A post mortem examination revealed he died from a gunshot wound to his throat.

David Taylor and Peter Jones appeared at the Old Bailey in London via a prison video link on Friday.

They both denied murdering Mr Ward on the doorstep of his mother's house on Point Clear Road, St Osyth.

Taylor, 44, and 39-year-old Jones, both of no fixed address, will face trial on the murder charge in November.

They will be joined in the dock at the Old Bailey by three other men.

They are Vishnu Bhaskaran, 27, of Mill Road, Colchester, Stephen Walker, 29, of Fernwood Avenue, Holland on Sea, and Martin Valentine, 42, from Viola Close, South Ockendon.

The trial of these three had started at the end of April without Taylor and Jones.

They were arrested in Spain within days of each other and trial Judge David Paget QC stopped the case once news of their arrest became known.

The judge said all five men should stand trial at the same time.

The new trial is due to start on November 5 at the Old Bailey.

Bhaskaran and Walker are on bail and Valentine is in custody.

Taylor and Jones were also remanded in custody. There was no application for bail.